I have always been so in awe of the kind of man Joseph must have been, not only to take this baby as his own, but to help his wife give birth in a stable. Truly Jesus was blessed by both His fathers.

The second hand is of God the Father, as he cups the dark earth, yet also releases His precious son into a harmful world. That is depicted by the lamb silhouette behind baby Jesus' head and also by the thorns around the world, a prelude to the crown of thorns that His Son will wear at His death. How much love it took to give us such a precious, vulnerable life, yet God did not spare His Son but gave Him as a "ransom for many."

Many times we see Jesus in quiet repose after birth, with Mary tenderly holding him, her hair all combed, as they both looked freshly bathed. I know that newborns sleep and, when they sleep, they do look so peaceful and sweet. I also know that newborns cry. Sometimes their cries are more like screams, as they get used to this new, hard world. That is how I wanted to depict Jesus. He was put in our skin to feel the cold and hurts that we do. Although sinless, He was fully human. I wonder if, on the night of His birth, the Father Himself even cried, as He saw His small son in the arms of teenagers, dutifully following Roman law in Bethlehem.
I liked the cyclical feel of this graphite drawing and wanted the viewer to feel drawn into the picture."
[mg-artist link="dawn-waters-baker" disp="See more art by Dawn"]