The Invitation Wall Artwork by Artist Elfred Lee

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Canvas giclée                  (48” x 96”)

The Invitation
A fine art print by Elfred Lee published by Lost World Museum
About Elfred Lee
Born in Korea to missionary parents in 1940, Elfred Lee and his
family were evacuated to the Philippines where they were captured
and placed in prison camps for three years. There, at the age of
four, Elfred began drawing with colored pencils provided by an artist
friend. During a daring raid in the winter of 1945, American
paratroopers rescued the Lee’s and thousands of others from
execution.

Back in Korea, he continued to draw and paint until the Communist
invasion in 1950. His family traveled to Japan where he studied with
artists, learning the patience and precision of the Asian culture.
During the Vietnam War, in the US Army, Elfred was chosen to
receive Hollywood training in motion picture photography and sent
on a special mission in 1967 to Vietnam. There he filmed and
directed movies which are now part of the history of that war. He
survived being shot down in a helicopter.

Elfred has been on four expeditions up Mount Ararat in Turkey to
search for Noah’s ark. On one such mission in 1986, he teamed up
with Astronaut Jim Irwin. Political unrest has made these searches
difficult and dangerous. He has interviewed and sketched the
memories of native Armenian George Hagopian who saw the ark as a
child during a drought in the early 1900s.

Elfred Lee's education includes two Masters and an honorary
Doctorate in Fine Arts from San Jose State University, CA; Syracuse
University, NY; and Faith College in Birmingham, AL; with special
training at the University of London, England; and Hebrew
University, Israel. He has taught at colleges and universities in the
US and Mexico, including nine years as founding chairman of the Art
Department of Oakwood College, Huntsville, AL.
Elfred resides in San Diego, CA with his wife Martha.

About John and Christen Adolfi
John, a former child ventriloquist, magician, and amateur
moviemaker, became a Christian while serving in the United States
Navy in 1984. He works as a Real Estate Broker by day and is
President of Bibleland Studios by night.
Christen, a bookworm and nature nut with a love for languages,
worked as an Interpreter for the Deaf for several years after
graduating from Oswego State in 1995 with a BA in Russian. She
works full-time for Bibleland Studios.
John and Christen Adolfi reside in Fulton, NY with their black lab Moo
Moo. They married in1996 and have no children.
About Bibleland Studios
When asked what Bibleland Studios is all about, John will pause and
with a deep sigh attempt to do what all the business books tell you
to do: give a 30 second answer to anyone who asks. “Not that
simple, since it is evolving everyday into something I did not
expect,” says Adolfi.

Bibleland Studios started out as a Museum idea in 1992. John
wanted to bring the Bible alive with life-size figures within Biblical
dioramas. During the ensuing eight years, John kept revisiting the
idea that he wanted to do something for God that allowed him to
use all his past interests. As he further investigated the possibilities
of a Museum, he realized it was premature. He decided to produce
a work of art reflecting the ideas that Bibleland Studios would be
known for: consulting the Bible and writings of Ellen White for the
details one would need to showcase as reality what others consider
fantasy. Thus the Bibleland Studios tagline “The Wonder of Reality”
was born.

“Many believers and non believers consider the first 10 chapters of
Genesis as fantasy but this is where it all begins,” Adolfi states. “We
set out to provide the public resources to help them discover their
true heritage – that there were created in the image of God, tall,
long-lived and highly intelligent.”
In early 2001 Adolfi phoned long time Noah’s Ark researcher and
artist Elfred Lee. “Elfred how would you like to paint a pull-out-allthe-
stops painting of Noah’s Ark?” Lee could hardly believe what he
just heard. “I’ve been waiting 35 years to do this, John.”

A painting resulted that would affect the hearts and minds of
thousands of people. The Invitation would be its title and it would
be unveiled in Syracuse, N.Y. on April17th 2004. John and Elfred
stood on opposite sides of the veiled 4x8 foot original as the
curtain dropped to the floor, followed by a unanimous gasp as the
audience stood to applaud.

As Bibleland Studios moves into the future, it looks to the secular
audience as its burden, a huge challenge for any ministry, especially
for one just out of the gate.
“I believe the purpose of Bibleland Studios is best summoned up by
this statement: ‘Reaching the Heart through the Imagination’.”
About the Painting – The Invitation

The Bible Stories were a partial inspiration for the project, and Adolfi
insisted on biblical accuracy, including depiction of the clean animals
going in by 7’s. Recalls Adolfi: “I thought if we were to scour the
pages of the SOP and the Bible, what other details could we find to
make a painting reflect the kind of accuracy that invites the mind to
contemplate the reality of the event? We went to work. With the
help of former EGW estate curator Don Mansell and a host of others
we worked until we felt that everything we could consult had been
consulted. Elfred had a good idea how to lay it out with previous
sketches he had done. Soon Elfred presented us with a painting
done in sepia tones all laid out, composed, and ready for color. The
great thing about Elfred is his ability to take constructive criticism.
We went to the Institute for Creation Research and let John Morris
and the staff critique the painting. Elfred’s next stop was north to
the Geoscience Research Institute. There he received a great deal
of hostility from two of the scientists, but the other members were
very supportive and gave Elfred many dinosaur images and
suggestions for the painting.

“Meanwhile in New York, the Dexterville church was getting their
preview of The Invitation and their input was helpful as well. Gone
were the family of cocker spaniels next to Noah’s left, replaced with
a wolf and lamb. Further embellishments of the people in the
painting and four new characters were added. We were making
progress but the painting was still not done.

“Elfred added the color, and as the videos by mail crossed the coast
every few weeks, the painting became more and more alive. Now
the fullness of what we were trying to accomplish became apparent.
A few months later we let others critique it again and again. Input
came from other artists and my neighbor down the road. Again we
made the necessary changes. We knew once we said “done” that
would be it forever more. Then the final touches: a rattlesnake,
dung beetle, scorpion, preying mantis, and a vine on the tree along
with more flowers. The last paint had been applied to the canvass.
DONE!

“When we got the final video we were very pleased. The original
4x8 canvas painting, valued in the 6-figure range by two art
appraisers, was placed in a PVC tube and shipped to Hallmark’s art
division publishing firm LithoKrome. Here, an 85 mega pixel camera
as big as a small house took the photo necessary to print each of
the over 6,000 prints with such quality that each one looks like an
original.

“Elfred had exactly two 8-hour days to sign 6,000 paintings and he
was already one-half day late. Could he do it? Thankfully, Elfred
was a fast signer and had time to spare.

“The Invitation is being enjoyed worldwide in homes, offices, and
churches including in the Philippines and Czechoslovakia. Our
Bibleland Studios web site, along with other online retailers, is
enjoying the benefits of displaying this beautiful painting and
making it available to the public. The benefit of owning a fine art
limited edition print as opposed to a poster is the investment value,
with potential for future appreciation. From the 17”x34” paper
prints to the 48”x96” canvas giclee there is a size that fits any wall
and pocket book. We invite you to own The Invitation.”

The Symbolism
What sets Elfred Lee’s The Invitation apart from most Ark
depictions is the biblical accuracy drawing from the best sources to
depict this scene in earth’s history in a sort of “you are there”
framework. The other characteristic is the symbolism. Thought and
care was given to make this impactful to each viewer by letting the
painting tell its story by the symbols it contains. For example,
through repetition of shape, the man to the far left is making a hard
labored slow decision and so are the turtles above his head. Notice
the flamboyant harlot in red and the equally colorful critter above
her. The two fat orangutans don’t seem too interested in the
procession, just as it is with some who are more preoccupied and
whose god is food for their bellies. The extra workers on the job
are sadly lost. The rattlesnake off the shoulder of the man who is
expressing “biting” words to Noah. Then there is the man at far left
that is receiving his alternate prophecy. People are arguing over
what they are hearing. Then there is the young couple in the center
who appear calm and “religious.” With a bible tucked under his arm,
these two represent those who say they believe in God but when
the special message of God’s servant proclaims present truth they
do not heed the call and are self-satisfied in what they know, thus
rejecting the call of God just like the harlot. Notice the three sets of
insects off to Noah’s right. The preying mantis represents those
who likewise pray. The scorpions follow the lead as the two dung
beetles rolling a dung ball. The beetles represent those who work
for their reward. And the scriptures repeatedly tell us that our own
righteousness is like the ball they are rolling feverishly towards the
Ark – dung.

The seven animals represent the clean animals going in to the ark.
Now you may say, “Why are there four giraffes and several
monkeys?” This is not only a work site but also a departure point
for animals and man. All who listen to Noah will have to say goodbye
to their friends and family (notice the chimp crying). And yes,
we have dinosaurs! We are making a statement that man and
dinosaurs coexisted. With the city in the background with a twin
tower high rise and a ziggurat temple, we are alluding that the
people before the flood were both sophisticated and pagan
worshipers that sacrificed there own to their gods.
Center place in the most prominent position in the painting’s
composition is Noah. He was a carpenter, preacher, and prophet as
our Lord Jesus was. Noah makes a way of salvation for the
onlookers just like Christ did, and the majority rejected his
invitation. The three animals plus Noah represent the four creatures
that surround the throne in heaven: the Lion, Bullock, Eagle, and
Man.

There is more, but for brevity’s sake we end on the most profound
symbol. Noah is making his last plea for the human race, his arms
outstretched, and the shadow he casts best represents what this
painting is all about.

Biblical Accuracy
When you consider that many of today’s Christian scholars and a
number of religious organizations reject the literalness of the first
10 chapters of Genesis, you have a problem. H.G. Wells became an
infidel and Darwinist because he rejected the literalness of Genesis.
He came to the conclusion that if the beginning of Genesis is not
real then the whole Bible must not be true. Genesis is the
foundation stone to the whole Bible. Therefore we set out to give
realism to an event that is normally depicted in a fanciful way that,
however beautiful, continues the spiral towards discrediting the
reality of the event.

Elfred has the distinction of not only having a background in
archeological illustration but also interviewing two eyewitnesses of
Noah’s Ark. American Ed Davis reported seeing the ark in 1943;
Armenian shepherd George Hagopian in 1906 and 1908. Elfred
spent many hours interviewing these men and drawing what they
remembered. As each drawing took shape, the results were two
separate accounts that fit perfectly. The combined reports resulted
in what we believe is the most accurate depiction of the ark, short
of finding the ark itself.

Closing thought

Thank you for taking this journey with us. We hope you have
caught a glimpse into what The Invitation is about; namely
evangelism. Hanging one of these prints does more than please the
eyes. It touches the mind and nourishes the heart with hope. The
hope for the future is eternal life if we also accept The Invitation.