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Janesville woman renders art print in cowhide

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Photo by Dan Lassiter

Jan McGuire of Janesville crafted this representation of The Last Supper out of leather in her class at Milton's Gathering Place.

MILTON — A velvet Elvis is one thing. But a leather Jesus?

This week at the Gathering Place in Milton, art lovers with an eye for the quirky can view a unique creation by Janesville artist Jan McGuire: a cowhide rendering of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.

McGuire’s leather carving is based on “The Last Supper,” Leonardo da Vinci’s famous 15th century mural depicting Jesus Christ surrounded by his apostles in the days before his execution.

Why “The Last Supper?”

“It just seemed like the design would be fun, a challenge,” McGuire said.

To make the carving, McGuire painstakingly traced the iconic biblical scene onto an 18-by-36-inch rectangle of pale, honey-colored cowhide. Then, wetting the leather and using a series of leather-carving tools, she pressed and pounded in details, shadows and texture.

A close-up of the now dry, framed scene reveals details on the apostles’ robes and a cloth table covering, as well as wood grain on floor boards—even lines on Jesus’ face.

It took McGuire 35 hours to complete the carving. The result: an instantly recognizable scene etched in leather—flawless except for a few pits and scars original to the cowhide.

“You hardly ever have a piece of cow leather without flaws. And that’s okay. It doesn’t have to be perfect, perfect,” McGuire said.

McGuire, 71, has honed her skills through two years of leather tooling classes at the Gathering Place, a community center in Milton. She’s made custom wallets and purses from leather, but she said her “Last Supper” carving will likely be her magnum opus in tanned hide.

“I’ve decided to move on to wood carving,” she said.

Regardless of her artistic medium, McGuire’s not for hire. She gives away most of her work.

“I just can’t bring myself to sell what I make. Most of it just goes to my favorite people,” she said.

McGuire, who also is a member of a video game bowling league at the Gathering Place, recalled noticing her friend Kenny, another bowling league member, hiking up his pants. His belt had broken.

McGuire designed for Cook a custom leather belt, tooling in special designs and even his name. She said he wears it all the time.

“At least now when we bowl, he can stop hitching up his pants,” McGuire said.

As for her “Last Supper” carving, McGuire’s decided to donate it to the First Congregational Church in Milton, following a suggestion from a friend who admired the carving even before it was finished.

“I was afraid to promise I’d donate it to the church. I didn’t know if it would turn out well,” she said.

McGuire’s sheepish about calling herself an artist. She claims she’s never worked without a pattern.

Yet, in its final days on display at the Gathering Place, McGuire’s “Last Supper” rendering continues to draw admirers. One woman hugged McGuire, congratulating her on her work.

McGuire’s still getting used to all the praise.

“The recognition makes me embarrassed and happy at the same time. I’m glad my work makes other people feel good,” she said.