“Beauty will save the world”
These words, from Dostoyevsky, are how Rev Craig Bosman reflects on the experience of being a part of the Way of the Cross art exhibition hosted by Margaret River Uniting Church this holy season.

Way of the Cross is an opportunity and an invitation to walk the ‘Stations of the Cross’ this Holy Week and Easter. The opening of the exhibition took place at a special evening event at Margaret River Uniting Church on Friday 27 March where artists and their families, the congregation and wider community were invited to attend.

The ‘Stations of the Cross’ concept was said to be originally created by St Francis of Assisi in the 13th Century as a way of giving everyday people an opportunity to take a contemplative journey of faith for those who were unable to go to Jerusalem and re-trace the last steps of Jesus to the cross. St Francis created ‘stations’ around the walls of his church for Good Friday, allowing people to ‘walk the steps’. The 14 ‘Stations’ became an integral part of most Catholic Churches throughout the world.

Way of the Cross in Margaret River is an artistic interpretation of the traditional ‘Stations of the Cross’, inviting participants to contemplate the Easter story in new and creative ways.

The concept for Way of the Cross was introduced by congregation member and retired Minister Rev Don Dowling. Don, inspired by a ‘Stations’ art exhibition he had documented in Sydney in the early 2000’s, began an annual Easter ‘Stations of the Cross’ art exhibition during his ministry with Uniting Church in the City, Wesley Perth congregation – an exhibition that took place for many years to follow. Now an active member of the Margaret River Uniting Church, Don was integral in inspiring the congregation to consider such a project locally. Margaret River is an area known for its diverse and talented arts community.

In 2025 local Margaret River artist Nari Jones created the congregation’s first Way of the Cross exhibition with 15 pieces of her own artwork which were used for contemplation and worship during Holy Week and Easter that year. (You can read about this here). For the 2026 project, Nari took on the role of Curator. Nari, along with Rev Don Dowling and Rev Craig Bosman approached 15 artists to contribute to a ‘station’. Some were from within the congregation, and many were outside of the church in the local and wider community. Each artist was invited to bring their own interpretation to the station they were given, with the results being a rich and diverse array of artworks for the event.

During the process of curating the exhibition, Nari, Craig and Don visited each artist in their home or studio (some via zoom) to peek behind the creative curtain as the art was progressing. Craig has described these encounters as being “sacred experiences – full of tears, gasps, speechlessness and awed silence”. Nari, when introducing the artists at the exhibition opening said, “As an artist myself, I’m very aware of how naked one can feel when unveiling artwork, let alone one with such depth of meaning, like the ones that we see here tonight. One’s soul is laid bare.”

She went on to acknowledge that although many of the artists had said they were not religious, she experienced them to be some of the most spiritual people they knew. She reflected that in the midst of our current world, their “willingness and capacity to look deeper and to be truth-tellers is highly appreciated and valuable.”

The exhibition opening event began with a Welcome to Country with local Wadandi and Pibelmen traditional custodian Zac Webb on behalf of the Undalup Association.

After a welcoming address by Rev Craig Bosman, each artist was introduced individually by Nari, and given a token of thanks from the team on the night as a way of honouring their contribution.

Rene Noell, a long-term member of the Margaret River Uniting Church was one of the artists honoured on the night. Rene’s station was ‘Jesus takes up his cross’ with which she contributed a detailed pencil drawing she called ‘Living the Questions’. In thanking Rene, Nari Jones said, “A devoted member of this church, actively involved with playgroup and meditation group, and with a lifetime of contemplating this Christian story. Rene brings the wisdom of her 90s, humility and acceptance, inviting us all to simply clear the lens through which we see.”

Other artworks included paintings on canvas, mixed mosaics, textiles, video, and sculpture. A wide array of artistic interpretations from established and developing artists.

The official opening address was a pre-recorded video from Rev Dr Doug Purnell OAM. Doug, an artist, theologian, and Uniting Church minister currently based in New South Wales, was Director of the Blake Prize for Religious Art for 17 years. In the early 2000’s when he was in congregational ministry in Sydney, he invited local artists to create works on individual ‘Stations’ for Holy Week and Easter. (The documentary of this event by Rev Don Dowling is still available to view here.) In his message, Doug spoke to some of his experience in creating a Stations of the Cross exhibition, and congratulated the Margaret River community and artists on the ‘Way of the Cross’. He encouraged people to take their time in contemplating the works before them saying “walking the exhibition is an incredible journey, that I’d encourage people to take slowly”. In declaring it open he said that he ‘hopes each person who comes finds something different, something fresh, something that enriches your living.”

After listening to Rev Dr Doug Purnell, Rev Craig Bosman declared the exhibition open with the breaking of bread, saying ‘We break this bread as a symbol of us being together and declare the exhibition open, for us to share in the bread of life.”

Thanks were then expressed from the congregation, with Kay Dowling, Chair of the Margaret River Uniting Church Council thanking the team for leading with wisdom and shared passion, and bringing “an enormous amount of love and life to this exhibition.”

Uniting Church WA Moderator Rev David Jackson closed with a prayer and a blessing.

Rev Craig Bosman, Minister of Margaret River Uniting Church, in the exhibition program opening welcome writes:

“The ‘Way of the Cross’ is about going on a pilgrimage. Perhaps you, like me, have never had the privilege of visiting Jerusalem to walk the Via Crucis, the path Jesus took to his Crucifixion and beyond (Resurrection). No matter – you walk it here and now, in this very building. Why? Because 15 incredible artists said ‘yes’. As we walk this journey together, we see the Beauty and it brings healing. I wonder – what in your life might you be saying ‘yes’ to so that Beauty will be made manifest, and we can all experience healing because of it?”

Way of the Cross is open for viewing from 9.00am to 5.00pm daily at the Margaret River Uniting Church, 60 Tingle Ave, until Monday 6 April 2026.

Article and images by Wendy Hendry