Biblical  Art Touchstones is about the God of the Bible, reflecting His character through scripturally-based artistic creations. The goal is express, through the visual arts, biblical principles, truths, values and events in the process of telling the story of God's relationship with humankind throughout history.  May these creative depictions lead to greater appreciation for the Biblical story. Thank you for taking the time to explore our site.

What We Do

     Touchstones are an "entry point" to a larger reality. Its intent is to help the viewer to make connections, leading to a greater understanding of the written Word of God, through the medium of art. The goal is to promote an interactive experience with the Judeo/Christian Scriptures.

    With the Scriptures as a foundation, I  draw upon my archaeological experience and biblical research in Israel, the 'Land of the Bible', for inspiration. The context of the Scriptures, i.e., the land, nature and society, is the genesis of my work. My agrarian Nebraska roots are also reflected in my pieces.

    My most recent focus of artistic expression, one of the oldest artistic mediums, is encaustic painting. Encaustic means "to burn" wax. Its origins date back thousands of years. The Greeks not only used beeswax to seal their sailing ships, but also to decorate them. 

    Egyptian artisans later used this wax medium on mummies to preserve portraits of their rulers. The Romans also made use of this medium. The Byzantines subsequently used bees wax to create and preserve icons of their saints. Visit my Encaustic Gallery to view examples. 

    Other mediums I work with include wood, stone, metal, and clay. I also incorporate organic materials, when appropriate, to support the message.

    Design and construction of scaled models, based on Biblical archaeological sites, is another interest of mine. Visit the Model Gallery for images of the process that I employed in the fabrication of the 'City Gate' at Bethsaida.

    A common theme incorporated into the creation of many of my pieces is that of the concept of the "vessel".  In a generic sense a vessel is a container that holds and protects a substance of importance and significance. 

    This symbolic reference can be seen throughout the Scriptures both literally and figuratively. In the Hebrew Scriptures the term "tebah" is used to capture the 'vessel' concept.

    I invite you to visit our gallery pages for examples of these thematic pieces created in the Biblical Art Touchstones studio.   

 Duane J. Pieper

 MOVING!  The Biblical Touchstones Gallery in the Bell Place Shoppes, 134  N Washington St, Papillion, Nebraska is moving to 217 S McKenna Ave, Gretna, NE as of 8/01/19

 www.biblicaltouchstones.com

  Please contact us anytime! We      look forward to hearing from you.

 btouchstones@yahoo.com