The two-piece set of Mary holding baby Jesus, and Joseph is the centerpiece of The Christmas Story. The figures are nearly 15” tall, and painted with richly layered colors. The expressive gestures of Mary and Joseph reveal their humanity, and portray their overwhelming emotion of love and protection for their newborn child. The elegant movement of Mary’s and Joseph’s garments, and their protective gestures bring this composition to the highest levels of sculptural art. The pieces relate to each other when placed together: Mary is turned in toward Joseph, sheltered by his right arm. Joseph’s staff and cloak form a protective shield around his new family. Joseph’s left hand, positioned above the head of baby Jesus, shadows the curve of Mary’s wrist. This is a historically symbolic gesture of blessing and protection.“The Christmas Story is a story from the past… but the overwhelming emotions of holding a new baby, starting a new family, and wanting to protect them forevermore are present today in every culture and every age. My hope is that the gestures of Mary and Joseph will represent these powerful feelings of love and protection.” --Susan Lordi The Christmas Story is the largest-scale nativity created by Susan Lordi. The two-piece set of Mary and Joseph fit with Gentle Animals of the Stable on the wood base of the 24”h Sanctuary backdrop. Pierced metal Tree Sihouettes add color and textur e. Two hand-painted resin figures, tallest is 14.5”h Packaging box includes enclosure card for gift-giving Dust with soft cloth or soft brush. Avoid water or cleaning solvents The Christmas Story large-scale nativity has a majestic presence. The two-piece set of Mary and Joseph fit with the three Gentle Animals of the Stable on the wood base of the 24”h Sanctuary backdrop. Pierced metal Tree Silhouettes add color and texture. Willow Tree sculptural art forms beautifully express love, closeness, healing, courage, hope… all the emotions of a life well lived. Artist Susan Lordi hand carves the original of each figure from her studio in Kansas City Missouri. Pieces are cast from her original carvings, and individually painted by hand. Expression is revealed through gestures only… a tilt of the head, placement of the hands, a turn of the body. The simplicity of form and absence of facial features signify Willow Tree. It is Susan’s hope that these pieces be meaningful to both giver and receiver. Susan Lordi Susan Lordi's artistic process is rather intuitive; she "sketches" in clay as she conceives, sculpts and carves each piece, always with a focus on gesture that speaks to the universal. By stripping down the essence of emotion to pure form, she opens the interpretation of each piece to the giver and the receiver. This one-of-a-kind approach to product creation makes her pieces truly individual... her hand, and her unique perspective, is evident in each sculpture.