We usually don’t spend too much time thinking about Mary’s experience during Jesus’ birth. His arrival rightly overshadows her role, but we can gain insight from Mary’s contribution. It stands in contrast to our modern sensibilities that commercialize and sanitize Christmas. What did Mary go through on that beautiful, terrifying night that changed history? Contrary to the cheerful songs we sing together at Christmas, “Labour of Love” by Andrew Peterson and Jill Phillips suggests a different scenario. The song begins with, “It was not a silent night, There was blood on the ground.” What a picture of sacrifice. I love the reminder because “without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22). What a wonderful shadow of what was to come. Not to mention that Mary must have been absolutely terrified to give birth without her mother. 

The concepts for my painting, “No Room,” are based on the “Labour of Love” song but the imagery is influenced by other sources as well. The archway and cobblestone motif and colour was taken from photos I found of modern day Bethlehem. I included graffiti imagery in my painting because it represents the rejection that Mary faced during her labour and birth. I capitalized on the fact that modern graffiti often expresses artist’s opinions and emotions without a filter and I apply that idea to the Nativity. I included words the words, “No Room,” “FEAR,” “rejection,” “sadness,” rejection,” “not enough,” “Is there room for me,” and “where are you?” in my painting to summarize the rejection that Mary would have experienced. It also reflects the general discontent of the average person in society at the time. The people of “David’s town” were angry with their government as many people are today. They thought they were paying too many taxes and that no one was really fighting for them. Joseph is present in the shadows of my painting and shows his outstretched hand to imply his caring presence that I imagine may not have been as helpful as Mary would like him to be. Mary has been wearing blue robes in art since around 500 BC. At the time, ultramarine blue paint was more valuable than gold, it is considered a heavenly colour and it represents her purity. Halos over Jesus and Mary signify their holiness and the light shining on Mary highlights her role as the virgin mother. 

My prayer is that my painting would honour God and serve the church in aiding us to see the Nativity with a fresh perspective through Mary’s eyes. Thank goodness for Mary because, “Every beat of her beautiful heart, Was a labor of love.”