The Oldest Angel Artist Proof
$2,650.00
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Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
There is a quiet, reverent stillness to this slender figure that feels both familiar and gently otherworldly. The woman’s downcast gaze and the careful way she holds the single yellow rose create an immediate sense of tenderness and quiet devotion. Warm golden tones — in her flowing robe, the rose, and the embossed halo — give the image a soft inner light that contrasts with the cool, textured ground behind her, so she reads like a calm presence emerging from an aged wall painting. Notice the layered, painterly surface and the way patterned fabric is suggested rather than rendered in exact detail; it lends the work a fresco-like quality and a sense of time worn beauty. Her posture is unassuming but poised, which, combined with the halo, suggests grace without formal grandeur. This piece carries a gentle, contemplative mood — a reminder of quiet moments of care and the small symbols we use to honor them — that makes it easy to live with and to return to when you want something quietly luminous on the wall.
The Artwork
About The Yellow Rose
The Yellow Rose<br> LIMITED EDITION CANVAS
“When I painted The Yellow Rose I had just come back from a trip to Italy. Everywhere we went there seemed to be another centuries-old building adorned with yet another breath-taking fresco. There was such a lost and found quality to discovering these works. Most carried a religious theme, but there was also a sense of high romance in them as well. That is what I tried to capture here,” says Christensen.
“The woman has a halo, but I’m not quite sure that I meant her to be a saint. She definitely is instilled with divine grace, however. The yellow rose is symbolic of light and warmth, as opposed to a red rose which is more often associated with love and lovers. I also focused on taking a much more painterly approach to this piece. I wanted it to have the built-up and layered textures like those frescos I had seen in Italy. An astute observer will notice that this is the same model that I used for The Beggar Princess and the Magic Rose, but that painting was actually inspired by this one.”
“The woman has a halo, but I’m not quite sure that I meant her to be a saint. She definitely is instilled with divine grace, however. The yellow rose is symbolic of light and warmth, as opposed to a red rose which is more often associated with love and lovers. I also focused on taking a much more painterly approach to this piece. I wanted it to have the built-up and layered textures like those frescos I had seen in Italy. An astute observer will notice that this is the same model that I used for The Beggar Princess and the Magic Rose, but that painting was actually inspired by this one.”
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About the Collection
James Christensen (1942–2017) was a visionary fantasy artist known for his whimsical paintings that blend mythological storytelling with magical realism. His work, inspired by Renaissance art and surrealism, features imaginative characters, intricate details, and symbolic elements such as floating fish, which represent wisdom and wonder. Christensen’s unique artistic voice brought to life fairy tales, fables, and medieval-inspired dreamscapes, making his fine art prints and collectible fantasy artwork highly sought after. His ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary continues to captivate art collectors and dreamers alike.
Artist Signature
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This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by James Christensen.
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Authenticity & Documentation
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Limited-edition artwork includes a Certificate of Authenticity when one is issued by the artist, publisher, studio, or authorized source. Open-edition pieces may not include a certificate; this does not affect their authenticity. The Collection Shop sources artwork through artists, publishers, authorized distributors, galleries, and other approved channels. Any additional documentation included with this specific piece will be noted above.
It is with deep regret and profound sadness that The Collection Shop announces the passing of artist James C. Christensen on Sunday, January 8, 2017.
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
Inspired by the world's myths, fables and tales of imagination, James C. Christensen wants his work to add up to more than a beautiful - if sometimes "curious" looking work of art. Having taught art professionally for over 20 years, he likes to think of the world as his classroom. His hope is that through whatever he creates-be it a porcelain, fine art print or book-he can convey a message, inspiration or a simple laugh. He believes that teaching people to use their imagination helps us find solutions to sooth the stresses of everyday life-or get a little lift to help us keep going. In short: all things are possible when you share Christensen's philosophy that "Believing is Seeing." Christensen was born in 1942 and raised in Culver City, California. He studied painting at Brigham Young University and, for a while, the University of California at Los Angeles before finishing his formal education at BYU. Since then, he has had one-man shows in the West and the Northeast and his work is prized in collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. Christensen has also won all the professional art honors the World Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention can bestow, as well as multiple Chesley Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. Christensen has been designated as a "Utah Art Treasure," one of Utah s Top 100 Artists by the Springville Museum of Art and received the Governor s Award for Art awarded by the Utah Arts Council recognizing the significance of Christensen s artwork to Utah s cultural communities. He was inducted into the U.S. Art magazine s Hall of Fame and is an Honored Alumnus at Brigham Young University for his contributions to fine art and education. James and his wife Carole, co-chair the Mormon Arts Foundation. He is a frequent guest lecturer at Brigham Young University, and has also given workshops to large companies and organizations on the subject of creative thinking, including the California Art Educator s Association, Hallmark and Intermountain Health Care. In addition to his fine art limited editions on paper and canvas, Christensen s work can be found in five acclaimed books and a series of interactive journals and in three dimensions in porcelain and hand-crafted limited-edition bronze sculptures
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