Timeless Passage ~ St. Philip’s Church in Charleston!

Timeless Passage ~ St. Philip’s Church in Charleston by William R. Beebe, commissioned.

As the horse drawn carriage slowly makes its way up Church Street in the morning hours, the coachman regales the young couple with historic tales of Charleston’s past. Standing tall, right in front of them is one of the oldest and most impressive landmarks in town, St. Philip’s Church.  

There is much to say, as the carriage almost comes to a complete stop. Built in 1723, St. Philip’s congregation focuses on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “For almost three and a half centuries it has been a beacon of faith and hope for the city of Charleston and beyond”.  

The church has survived the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, a major earthquake, and more recently Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Yet, this magnificent Anglo-Palladian style architectural masterpiece stands boldly at the bend in the road, inviting all who approach it to enter the open wrought-iron gates.  

I’ve painted St. Philip’s Church several times already, inspired by an early morning walk downtown one day. There was a colorful glow on the steeple cast from the rising sun, with pink, yellow and blues in the sky that created an ethereal quality to the scene.

A new client came to me with creative inspiration. Would I paint a similar scene to my St. Philip’s Divine Light painting, in a timeless way (no cars, no road signs, or any indications of a specific time?  

Could I paint in a horse and carriage similar to the one I painted in Corner of Church and Queen? Without any signage?  

I loved the idea of a timeless passage. The scene is a romantic’s look up Church Street. Very little has changed over several hundred years! I think that is what we all love about Charleston. 

In this painting of St. Philip’s Church I decided the left portico was an important architectural element to feature. It is not easily depicted when photographing the scene because the road is lined with cars and tree branches block the view. What creative forethought, to have built this wonderful landmark in the middle of Church Street, where it can be admired from from both near and far.  

In Timeless Passage I illuminated the sky even more so, creating colorful tones in the sky that saturate the rest of the painting with an overall warmth. It was a powerful moment that morning when I was so awestruck by the dramatic sky and how St. Philip’s seemed to glow, welcoming me towards it.

I hope you like this commissioned painting. I sure loved painting it.  

Please check back soon to see what’s next on my easel. Thank you for reading my journal. I’d love to hear from you if you feel so inclined to comment on my painting.