Imagined with a vast variety of living creatures parading into the ark two-by-two, the animals intrigue most youth who hear the story of Noah’s ark and the cargo it carried. For centuries the account of the flood has fascinated not only children, but, adults alike, and has captured the imagination of the artist like no other biblical narrative. Medieval artists depicted the horrors of people clamoring for high ground and saw the flood as a catastrophic event, but from the beginning of the twentieth century artists’ interpretations changed to portray the story from a more humorous perspective by focusing in on the charm of the animals.

This exhibition has 28 renditions of the story of the flood from diverse sources and in a variety of media, some of which include: etchings by Marc Chagall, Ben Zion and Arthur Geisert; 17th century engravings; paintings by outsider artists Rudolph Bostic and Dorothy Gorham; a mola from the San Blas Islands off Panama; a stencil print by Japanese artist Sadao Watanabe; and several charming wood sculpted Noah’s arks. Together they promise the viewer a delightful experience of exploring anew the beloved story of Noah and the ark.

This collection is owned by Sandra and Bob Bowden of Chatham.

The Rains Came Down art show will be of interest to anyone who is fascinated by the story of Noah's family, the ark and the flood. The public is invited to view the display Sunday mornings and Monday through Fridays, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon until Labor Day at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 310 Route 137, E. Harwich, (508) 432-5172.

St. Peter's Lutheran Church is also hosting a Vacation Bible School based on this art collection, to be held July 25-27 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Call the church for more information at (508) 432-5172.