Life of Christ

Now on Display at Liberty University

Wilson is a self-taught artist with over forty years of experience. Following a career in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, during which he flew transport planes in WWII and Korea, he turned to painting. At ease in any medium, Wilson developed an interest in historical paintings as a U.S. Bicentennial project. And he completed a series of paintings depicting the role of South Carolina in the Revolutionary War. Wilson also delved into the Civil War era and produced a series of collector’s prints depicting leaders and battles of that war.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter admired eleven of the paintings at the National Prayer Breakfast. Day and Thigpen, both from North Carolina, initially purchased about 10 paintings and were so moved by them that they commissioned the artist to complete the visual story of Christ. Before Liberty University, they were displayed in Earl Owensby’s religious museum in Shelby, N.C.

When Thigpen’s grandson became a student at Liberty University, the family felt like this was the perfect place to display the paintings and Day agreed.

The Liberty University Art Gallery dedicated the Life of Christ paintings on Oct. 28, 2016, in the Montview Student Union’s Alumni Ballroom.