GOD’S LOVE for each of us - and all of us - is at the centre of a painting exhibition which is touring cathedrals and town centre churches.

Fine artist and theologian Elizabeth Gray King will be showing 13 intriguing and affirming canvases, exploring the equality and inclusivity of God’s love, starting in St James’ United Reformed Church, Newcastle this week.

Resurrection is the hope at the heart of Elizabeth’s work. Complex and under-explored feelings have historically prevented many churches from failing their ‘All Are Welcome’ notice-board promises… God’s new-every-morning Love and ‘church-love’ are not yet the same thing everywhere.

For love of resurrection, Rev. Elizabeth, whose insights arise from being both an artist and a minister, is currently working alongside the Open Table Network [OTN]. OTN is a national charity which works to urge and facilitate a wider, safer, authentic inclusion for LGBT+ people across all UK churches.

Elizabeth Gray King is a polymath of artist, project manager and theologian, having done portraits, illustration, commissions and residencies, and selling originals and prints.

Commissioned paintings hang in churches in Oxford and Birmingham, with her latest, Revival, hanging in the chapel of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Her illustrations depict complex concepts and ideas through the interaction of people. They appear in online learning hubs, education books, book covers and cards. She has often worked as Artist In Residence at conferences or events, not cartooning, but drawing what she hears, with the finished work appearing in many post-conference books and websites. The latest work was a Legacies of Slavery event around Jamaica and Grand Cayman, where she was able to share the growing work via screen share.

Elizabeth’s overwhelming artistic purpose is to challenge narrow views of God, as well as insular views of societies and peoples. Her link with OTN is to share this voice of challenge where she can.

Elizabeth said:

‘We decided to work together because we share a commitment to inclusivity in the name of God. We have chosen city centre locations because they attract tourists who visit Cathedrals and notable buildings. Such visitor attractions are an ideal place to show via my artwork that inclusivity is possible, imaginable even, and shows up in images depicting God topics. If visitors can literally see people in gatherings with no barriers, it may be possible for them to begin to see that not all Christianity is exclusive to a few, and perhaps start believing the Gospel of wide-ranging love.’

Because it is important to her as a professional artist, she is donating 40% of the sales of any work, original or print, which people have bought because of this exhibition, to OTN. The percentage is what a professional art gallery would claim from sales of her work.

The exhibition is at St James’ URC, Newcastle from 26th September to 29th October 2023, before moving on to Sunderland, Salford, Liverpool, Coventry, St Asaph, Cardiff, Newport, London, Winchester and Chelmsford until August 2024. For full details of dates and venues, visit the artist’s website: www.elizabethgrayking.com.

UPDATED JUNE 2024 to include two additional tour venues.