Manuel Gallardo
Born in Cuba, 1985. Lives in USA
Charcoal on Cardboard
22 x 30 inches

Freedom is Beautiful, 2026

"Freedom is Beautiful" is the result of a commission by VU VI VO to the Supervivo Collective to support the efforts against human trafficking. The artist depicts freedom as a process from a state of captivity and oppression to one of liberation and illumination. Ultimately hope, the joy that comes with the morning.
 
The black and white tones, the impact, the provocative character of the piece are signature of the Supervivo style and approach to visual arts, represented in this case by Manuel Gallardo. It's the pursue of beauty even when it can be disrupting and surprising.

Unveiled January 2026 during an event in Tampa, FL.

Connect with Supervivo Collective

Morgan Irons
American, born USA, 1991 - present
Oil on Panel
72 x 60 inches
 
Widow of Nain, 2025

This painting captures one of the most profound moments of compassion in the Gospels, found only in Luke 7:11-17. As Jesus approached the town of Nain, he encountered a funeral procession carrying a young man to his burial. But this story belongs first to his mother, a widow burying her only son.

Her grief was compounded by catastrophic loss. In the ancient world, a widow without sons faced not only the devastating loss of her child but also economic ruin and social vulnerability.
 
Luke tells us that when Jesus saw her, his heart went out to her. Before anyone asked, before any plea for help, Jesus was moved by her suffering. He approached and spoke directly to her: "Don't cry." Then, defying religious law that forbade touching the dead, he stopped the funeral bier and commanded the young man to rise.

The son sat up, alive and speaking. But notice Luke's careful phrasing, Jesus "gave him back to his mother." This wasn't a spectacle or mere demonstration of divine power. It was an act of restoration, of seeing a woman in crisis and returning to her both her son and her future. Jesus centered her experience, her loss, her need.

This story reminds us that sacred attention often falls on those the world overlooks. It speaks to every person who has experienced loss that feels like an ending, who has faced a future that seems impossible to bear.

In painting this scene, I wanted to honor the widow's central place in this narrative. Her experience of devastating loss, her moment of encountering unexpected compassion, her restoration to hope, these form the heart of the story. Before the miracle, before the crowd's amazement, there was simply a mother's grief met with divine tenderness.
Unveiled December 2025 during an event at Armature Works in Tampa, FL.

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Emily A. Pastor
American, born USA, 1987 - present
Oil on Panel
40 x 60 inches

Mary, Overshadowed,  2024

“Mary, Overshadowed” was the result of a commission by VU VI VO to create a piece of public art reflecting on the Bible story of the Annunciation and the overshadowing of Mary (Luke 1:26-38). After Gabriel visits Mary with the startling news that she would become the mother of the Son of God, what would Mary look like when the initial shock had worn off?

“Mary, Overshadowed” captures a moment with Mary after the Annunciation. Mary stands resolute at sunrise, overshadowed by the glory and light of a new day. She has taken Gabriel’s words to heart that “nothing will be impossible with God” and looks at the viewer victoriously as if to invite us into this promise.

Unveiled December 2024 during an event at Oxford Exchange in Tampa, FL.

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Gina White
American, born USA, 1972 - present
Encaustic on wood panel
36 x 48 inches

Awake My Soul II was the result of a commission by VU VI VO Ministries to create a piece of public art reflecting on the Bible story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). After Jesus says, “…neither do I condemn you. Go now & leave your life of sin,” what would this woman look or feel like?

Awake My Soul II represents the woman’s life journey, one of fundamental change and growth that presumably happened during the remainder of her time on earth. While the Bible story is about a woman from a different culture, time, and place, her story is really the story of all our lives.

Unveiled September 2024 during an event at the Orlo House in Tampa, FL, Awake My Soul II is available for viewing in public spaces throughout the Tampa Bay Area.

Art Unveiling Video

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Mary Frances Michael
American, born USA, 1997 - present
Acrylic Painting
72 x 36 inches

The Garden, 2024

VU VI VO's first commissioned piece is an acrylic painting based on Colossians 1:15-23. This piece, by School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduate, Mary Frances Michael, hangs in businesses, schools and churches  in the Tampa Bay Area.

Unveiled January 2024 during an event at the Orlo House in Tampa, FL,

Art Unveiling Video

NCF Vice President of Partner Relations, Barrett Swartz joins LAB the Podcast to share a glimpse of his story and for a conversation on how generosity is a vital part of expressing the life and beauty of the gospel.

V3 Conservatory Poet, Wendy Kieffer joins LAB the Podcast to read and discuss “The Answer” by R.S. Thomas. Don’t miss this incredible poem and the rich experience of sharing it with Wendy.