Skip to Content

David Crawford

David Crawford

On exhibit at the Calvary Art Gallery from December 17, 2023 – February 25, 2024

With Biblical drawings, I’m always wondering if there’s another way of looking at the story, something that’s closer to the spiritual reality instead of what physically happened. My father was a brilliant artist for many years and really inspired me to work at this as a hobby for a large part of my life. Calvary’s call to artists these past couple of years has given me an opportunity to transfer the questions I ask about scripture to the medium you see here. I thank God for the ability to create with digital art, it has allowed me to draw anywhere, and share with anyone.

He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer. – Exodus 35:35

The Drumroll of Death

Reference: Genesis 7
Date: 2022
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 27×27
Price: $300

When I thought about the genealogy leading up to Noah in Genesis, I was amazed by how many people lived and died without a story. There is an uncountable sea of people throughout history that did not walk with God, and it’s a sobering thought. I wanted to convey the seriousness of this through something visibly dark and eerie. In that generation, only Noah walked with God. In our generation, will we be a part of the sea and the drumroll of death? Or will we walk with God? Although this seems bleak, there is a light and encouragement that our lives can have an incredibly fulfilling purpose in Jesus Christ. When we die, will our work preach righteousness?

“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.” – Luke 17:26

The Objection of John

Reference: Matthew 3:14
Date: 2023
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 28×28
Price: $300

John the Baptist heralds the coming of the Messiah, and understands the majesty and power of Jesus more than anyone. After John tells everyone that someone greater than himself is coming, who should show up but Jesus? Why should the Son of Man, who can walk on water and has nothing to repent, be baptized by water by someone lesser than himself? In this drawing, John is working hard to save us from the storm and point us to Christ. And yet, Jesus approaches on dry ground. The water and storm has no power over him and cannot touch him, but he chooses to take the same path as us and enter the boat. On John’s face is written in Greek, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?” Imagine John being asked to help the God of the Universe fulfill all righteousness.

Jericho and the Canaanite Woman

Reference: Matthew 15:21-28
Date: 2023
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 27×27
Price: $300

Does Jesus love Canaanites? Jesus affirms two things in this passage: Canaanites are enemies of Israel, and Canaanites can be saved by faith. In Joshua, God says that Jericho will be delivered into Israel’s hands. Even though the Canaanites were enemies of Israel, one Canaanite is saved by faith: Rehab. This meant that it was not because of what nation they were from that they were condemned by God, but because of their rejection of God. In Matthew, Jesus echoes this negative view on Canaan. But he also echoes the exact same salvation offered to Rehab. Only by the woman’s faith did Jesus then commend her and heal her daughter. In this artistic rendition, we see Rehab’s scarlet cloth in the window as a sign to the Israelites. Witnessing the fall of Jericho are Jesus and his disciples, breaking bread, with the crumbs falling to the Canaanite woman.

Job and the Parable of the Sower

Reference: Matthew 13:1-23
Date: 2023
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 27×27
Price: $300

The Parable of the Sower tells us about the four different ways we react to God’s truth: the rock, the briar, the crow, and the good crop. As Jesus’ parable can show up in our own lives, it could show up in Job’s life too. Eliphaz, the rock, was authoritarian yet not unsympathetic, trying to make Job accept divine discipline so that he wouldn’t suffer. Bildad, the briar, was prophetic and deterministic, trying to distract Job with unacknowledged sin and obstruction of God’s purposes. Zophar, the crow, was arrogant and mystical, offering Job empty words without any meaning. And finally, Elihu, the good crop, displayed humility and a willingness to listen. This good crop is the tree that Job is resting on without realizing it. Where are we struggling with persecution from the rock, distractions from the briar, and Satan taking the truth from us, as Job did?

The Lion of Judah at the Temple

Reference: Matthew 21:12-13
Date: 2023
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 27×27
Price: $300

The preferred sacrifice in the Old Testament was a lamb, but Leviticus gave a provision for the poor who could not afford a lamb: two doves. Jesus has always said that we should care for the poor, and he specifically targeted the group of people dealing directly with the poor at the temple, because they were taking advantage of those who had little money but still needed to sacrifice. In this piece, the two doves are surrounded by a den of snakes, who are ready to choke and devour them.

Jesus quotes Jeremiah here: “Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.” – Jeremiah 7:11

The Narrow Road

Reference: Matthew 7:13-14
Date: 2023
Medium: Digital Art
Size: 27×27
Price: $300

In this piece I wanted to convey something very simple: Jesus is the only one who has walked the entirety of the narrow road. Few find it, and throughout our lives we struggle with winding through other paths. Because Jesus walked through the entire narrow road, he was given a crown of thorns and was raised to life again. He offers salvation to us now so that we don’t have to suffer eternally for walking the broad road that leads to destruction. All we have to do first is find the path.

The Calvary Church Art Committee

Purpose – The purpose of the Art Committee is to promote the visual arts as a tool to support worship and teaching at Calvary Church. We also want to encourage the engagement of visual art that complements our faith, with members of the church and surrounding community.

Mission – The Art Committee seeks to support God’s work here at Calvary Church with the management of its permanent art collection and by sponsoring temporary displays of visual art in the church. Through the support of the church’s Statement of Vision and these tasks, the committee will help to create and maintain an aesthetic environment that will enhance the spiritual and community activities that take place in our facility. 

Please feel free to contact info@calvarygr.org with questions.