St. Joseph, hand-pulled original etching

One of twelve images from my Saints Reimagined project. Based on St. Joseph, the patron saint of Fathers and of Carpenters, and the husband of Mary and adoptive father of Jesus Christ. My treatment of him focuses on the fatherhood role. I went to penguins to represent him because my original use of penguins was about emperor penguins as roll models for dedicated fatherhood.

Joseph embraces the responsibility of fatherhood selflessly–this child may not even be his, but he steps up to the job anyhow, demonstrating that fatherhood is about much more than biology. This points to a bigger notion, that the world is better if we strive to see all children as our own, and care for them accordingly.
The large number of “children” gathered around Joseph may represent this. They may also allude to the references in the Gospels to Jesus having siblings. These references have provoked controversy over the centuries. Were those siblings literally brothers and sisters? Were they Joseph and Mary’s later children, after Jesus? Were they Joseph’s children from one or more previous marriages? Regardless, Joseph is “fathering” them: watching over them and caring for them while allowing them to pursue their interests, even if those interests involve risks and danger. (The penguins are the sons, and the puffins are the daughters.)

This 12"x 9" image is hand-printed on a 20" x 16" sheet of cotton rag Hahnemuhle etching paper and is one of an edition of 30.