A few years ago, my dear friend and brilliant furniture designer, Debbie Palao, asked me to work with her on a stations of the cross project for the contemporary chapel she designed for the Capuchin Tertiary Order of the Holy Family. Our dear friend, Sister Luz Maria Buitrago , was instrumental in making this happen. After conceptualizing over cups of Illy espresso in her veranda, we came up with these ideas using materials on hand. The brushed aluminum plaques and roman numerals in cut ebony veneer were prepared ahead of time at our workshop. Another good friend and jewelry designer, Miranda Konstantinidou, gave us a generous supply of Swarovski crystals.
The Last Supper
industrial plastic tubing, Swarovski crystals for the red wine,
rice grains to depict the host
Jesus prays in the Garden of Olives
Debbie asked a friend to bring an olive branch from Greece
Jesus is condemned to death by the Sanhedrin
rattan woven balls, black fiber mesh, brass drawer pulls
Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns
Debbie's security guard fashioned this barbed wire
while stationed at the gate
Jesus falls the first time
nim tree branch and copper wire
Jesus falls the second time
Simon of Cyrene helps
Jesus carry His Cross
mdf board shaped into hands from Debbie's workshop
Jesus encounters the women of Jerusalem
Swarovski crystal tears
MDF board and abaca fabric
Jesus is nailed to the cross
rusty nails from an old shed toolbox
Jesus promises to share his reign with the good thief
natural hand-made paper and buri sticks
Jesus is on the cross with his
Mother and disciple below
abaca fabric, jute thread, natural hand-made paper, and shells
Jesus dies on the cross
wood veneer scrap
Jesus is laid in the tomb
marble stone,abaca fabric
Holy Saturday and Easter Resurrection
ribbon with gold thread and nim branch
Debbie has since designed two other chapels and we will work on two more sets come June. I look forward to sharing this beautiful and spiritual bonding activity with her. These photos are from the first chapel in Cebu.
A divinely designed Blessed Sacrament
with a lighted disc inlaid with small bamboo bits
Aside from dedicating this post to Debbie and Sister Luz Maria, I would like to include Fr. Patty Flanagan who walked with me on my last Way of the Cross in Lourdes, France. He made it more meaningful by including relevant reflection statements.
Here are a couple of inspirational chapel photos
with one of my all time favorite furniture pieces,
the Panton Chair.
photography by Qubus Design
