J.R.R. Tolkien

“No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the light unflinchingly.”

 Born in 1892, John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was an English writer, artist, scholar, and linguist. Known by many as the author of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings”.

Tolkien is one of the great storytellers of the last century. Having lost both parents by the age of twelve, and as a soldier during the First World War, he took refuge in his imagination inventing new languages, worlds, and stories.

Tolkien spent most of his life teaching old and middle English and Old Norse at the University of Oxford. His creativity confined to his spare time, found its outlet in his fantasy works, poetry, illustrations, and his invented languages and alphabets.

Tolkien called man a “sub-creator” because we are all made in the image of God, we have the inherit ability to create worlds and stories, reflecting the light of the divine truth, on our own, in the smallest of ways. Tolkien was a devout catholic whose understanding of Christ, the connection between the physical and spiritual world, and the truths found in human mythology throughout cultures, became an endless inspiration for his works.

While teaching Tolkien became a part of a gathering of Oxford professors and residents called “The Inkings” who would meet to discuss literature and philosophy, and share each others latest compositions. Tolkien’s friend C.S. Lewis, who authored ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ was also a part of this group. Tolkien would later say that had it not been for the encouragement of the inklings and his friendship with Lewis, his stories may have only stayed, “a simple hobby”.

Tolkien married the muse of his life, Edith Bratt, with whom they had four children together.

Tolkien died in September of 1973.

I paint him here in his office reading and smoking his pipe. Something he frankly said he couldn’t write without.

 I see him as a true patron Saint of storytelling and how good, true, honest stories can potentially draw us closer to understanding God, ourselves, and each other.