Stencil of Ceiling (Mariner's Church) c. 1937

James McLellan made this stencil of a ceiling for the Mariner's Church using paint. The work is mostly light blue, but there are also beautiful geometric and floral patterns in black and white. I imagine McLellan in his studio, carefully mixing the blues to get that perfect soft hue. The rhythmic repetition of the stencil suggests a meditative, almost hypnotic process. Each square and corner becomes a universe of its own, with tiny details that invite closer inspection. Think about the tradition of decorative painting and how much skill it takes to achieve these effects. McLellan probably worked with a team of other artists to create stencils, and this piece is, in many ways, a design blueprint. It has echoes of the Arts and Crafts movement but also looks forward to the clean lines of mid-century design. It is this visual language that artists take up, adapt, and transform.