As a wildlife artist since 1969, I have produced over a hundred different limited edition prints of my wildlife subjects. As the hundreds (or is it now thousands?) of other artists pursuing this same genre of artistic expression, I, too, have tucked into my belt some of the typical "duck stamp accolades" and "print of the year" honors. Over the years, many of the Antis artistic expressions have found their way into the plethora of hunting and nature magazines. And a half dozen or so of my originals have even found their way into some museum collections. But, ultimately, my goal has always been something rather simple. And that is to paint a picture that expresses my perception and joy of a subject, whether it be the grace and beauty of the whitetail deer, the rocketing flight of ducks, or the still silence of a deserted old barn, and then to have someone else identify with and to share in that experience. Many artisans, down through the centuries, have recorded the multitudes of historical events and political figures of note. But, it has come as a complete surprise to me that I would ever produce a series of paintings like these, primarily because I have never studied portraiture or human anatomy. But, I never planned on my life taking the turns and corners it has either. In 1985, I was miraculously healed of what the medical profession diagnosed as a fatal heart attack. I had been given only 24 to 48 hours to live. In 1992, I suffered another major heart attack and survived that as well. In 1994, I was diagnosed with colon cancer and again death was cheated, thanks to a lot of people's prayers and the medical wonders of the day. But, along with being an artist, I also had become a Christian in 1976, and the Bible, - God's Word - is a vital part of and influence on my life. And, in the spring of 1989, my life turned one of its biggest corners ever. While simply standing in the narthex of our church one Sunday morning, my mind picked up on a verse of scripture that I had been studying and meditating on for several weeks. "And all things are of God, who has reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ." (II Corinthians 5: 18) That very moment, the hand you see in the painting of the crucifixion, appeared before me. I was absolutely stunnded by what I was seeing. Over the next 20 to 30 minutes the image enlarged to include all of what you see in the painting. The entire vision lasted about 2 1/2 hours. But, it was not until the summer of 1991 that I finally painted the painting. This was only the fifth portrait I had ever attempted. Three months later, after completing the painting of the crucifixion, in December of 1991, I received a second vision, which is the Nativity. It has been through these two visions and a lot of prayer that I felt that the Holy Sirit was saying to me, "I've shown you His birth and I have shown you His death, now fill in the purpose for both." And from this beginning, has come this series of twelve paintings on the life, the death, and the purpose of this incredible Galilean man, named Jesus