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My purpose…? ”To create in physical form, that which inspires others to find Divinity within themselves.”

This piece has been in the making since I first started sculpting back in 1990. I have always been drawn to create ‘multi-figured’ pieces (poker games, barroom brawls, lynch mobs, twelve men in an ‘old west’ jury, open casket funeral wakes, six men carrying a coffin to boot hill, 19th century anatomy classes, etc.). Even though, for 20 years, my focus has been depicting ‘The Old West’, I knew the ultimate ‘multi-figured’ piece would be, ‘The Last Supper’. I attempted to begin this sculpture on several occasions…only to tear it up…as I found I did not have the knowledge to pull it off. After gathering research for about 10 years (i.e. archeological, historical, spiritual, increasing my sculpting ability, and finding a good amount of time to set aside to work on it – seven months) I began this piece again in August of 2008. 

It has been an incredible journey of creation. I thank all of my family, artists, patrons, passers by, friends and influences both seen and unseen, who offered input and encouragement that I found ‘invaluable’. Truly this has been a ‘group effort’.

Here are some things that I learned while sculpting this piece:

Meals were served at low tables and people would have sat on mattes and cushions. 

They would not have sat at a table with chairs.

The tableware (archeologically) dates back to the first century A.D.. Most of the plates, glasses and platters would have been made of blown glass.

The brass wine flask on the left of the table is set in a brass holder. The water flask on the right would have been made of brass also.

The food on the table consists of flat unleavened bread (in front of Christ). Grapes, figs, fish, dates and potatoes adorn the table.

I once saw a small oil lamp (that was purported to of come from the tomb of John the Baptist). There are four oil lamps on the table.

I placed two wooden bowls (one of each side), along with a water cask. This is representing the water, bowls and towels Jesus used to wash the disciples feet with.

I depict Jesus with a linen cloth covering his head. I learned that Rabbis would often teach with a linen cloth adorning their heads.

I show – to Jesus’ left – Judas Iscariot. He is the only on that is ‘naked’ before Christ. He is also holding a money satchel – clutched in his arms.

On the front side of the piece…I leave an open place in the middle for the viewer to join.

On the backside of the piece there are a pair of sandals. I sculpted them after an amazing set of sandals that were found in the hills of Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered). The sandals date back two-thousand years.

One of the most important things I did when creating this sculpture was to have as many things ‘pointing to Christ’ as possible. Look how the napkins, wine flask handles, hands of the disciples, arrangement of clothing, oil lamps etc. all point towards Jesus.

The arrangement of the twelve disciples and tableware form an infinity symbol.

Christ (with his two hands extended) forms a triangle….representing the Trinity.

Looking straight on and viewing the back row figures a portion of a circle is seen. The bottom part of the circle encompasses humanity, while the top part of the circle is in the heavens. Christ pierces that circle and connects the two (uniting heaven and earth).

SCOTT ROGERS

Scott Rogers’ love affair with bronze began when he bought a bronze sculpture from his uncle, Grant Speed. Six months later in October of 1990, he came home from work one day, looked at that bronze and said, “I can do that”. He sought counsel at the hands of master teachers, Fritz White CA, Stanley Bleifeld, Herb Mignery CA, Mehl Lawson CA and Grant Speed CA.

“My desire is to use art as a vehicle to inspire mankind to see the beauty of life. Artists are prone to leave emotional fingerprints all over their work; hence, what you’ll be seeing, in a way, are self-portraits. I love how shape, line and form communicate. Every line has a spirit and speaks volumes. Put a lump of clay in my hands and a short while later you’ll know exactly how I feel and physically see my soul. I am finding that the key to life is to develop eyes to see what is really ‘there’.”

Scott Rogers loves what he does and portraying the Old West. “I remember, fondly, the hours spent as a youth reading of renegades, rebels, rogues, outlaws, wild men and horses, ferocity, passion, power, cunning, independence, honor, loneliness, fear, rage, courage and freedom. These words worked their way into my soul and now find expression through my fingers in clay. The “West” was about men and women who had courage, who were part of something bigger than themselves. I find great pleasure in doing these people justice by creating a fair portrayal of their characters.”

“I sculpt feelings and not reality. In fact, to me, the words sculpture and feelings are synonymous. I love it when someone says, after viewing one of my pieces, ‘I can feel the bullet hitting him, I feel like I’m on the back of the bucking horse’ or ‘I can hear the roar of the stampede.’ I know art uplifts the spirit, it makes one want to be better, to feel good about themselves and their fellow man, to reach out for that which is good in life. It’s my wish that you experience some of what I feel through my art.”