The teachings in The Old Testament and those parts of them that aren’t socially accepted in contemporary society have inspired Millie Anne Cupit’s wallpaper. Her aim was to produce something both useful but also beautiful, a wallpaper that is respectful but honest in the way it presents these Old Testament teachings. Proposed for a site with historic church links, Sheffield’s Bishops Lodge, Cupit’s illustration is subtle and sensitive, using trees and a variety of sizes to draw the scenes.
Project
Interior Architecture and Design 
Final repeated print-jpg-digital-19_13x29_09-12_5_21 – MILLIE CUPIT
Slavery
You may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT
You may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT
Cannibalism print-jpg-digital-19_13x29_09-12_5_21 – MILLIE CUPIT
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. Cannibalism- Leviticus 26:27–29
And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. Cannibalism- Leviticus 26:27–29
Stoning print-jpg-digital-19_13x29_09-12_5_21 – MILLIE CUPIT
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die. Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die. Deuteronomy 21:18-21
Public beating
Just then one of the Israelites came and brought a Midianite woman into his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the Israelites. When Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up and left the congregation. Taking a spear in his hand, he went after the Israelite man into the tent, and pierced the two of them, the Israelite and the woman, through the belly. So the plague was stopped among the people of Israel. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by manifesting such zeal among them on my behalf that in my jealousy I did not consume the Israelites. Therefore say, “I hereby grant him my covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the Israelites. Murder-Numbers 25:6–13 NRSV
Just then one of the Israelites came and brought a Midianite woman into his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the Israelites. When Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up and left the congregation. Taking a spear in his hand, he went after the Israelite man into the tent, and pierced the two of them, the Israelite and the woman, through the belly. So the plague was stopped among the people of Israel. The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by manifesting such zeal among them on my behalf that in my jealousy I did not consume the Israelites. Therefore say, “I hereby grant him my covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the Israelites. Murder-Numbers 25:6–13 NRSV
Final single print-jpg-digital-19_13x29_09-12_5_21 – MILLIE CUPIT
"I felt it was only right to be truthful and honest with my drawings as the whole point of the piece is to show what happens in the Old Testament. I drew inspiration from the Chinese blue and white pottery, using the colours, different scenes and connecting water as inspiration but I used trees instead. I like the ideas of the different scenes being separate to show there are many bad teachings not just one. I chose to add trees to my print because the brain associate’s nature with positivity and releases endorphins. This gives the illusion that the wallpaper will be something positive and naturally enjoy looking at it until you look closer and see the disturbing scenes! I chose to do an array of scenes in different sizing, so the eye is drawn to certain aspects first. I also decided that by making the trees the most detailed and larger elements, the eye could catch them first giving the positive illusion."
"I felt it was only right to be truthful and honest with my drawings as the whole point of the piece is to show what happens in the Old Testament. I drew inspiration from the Chinese blue and white pottery, using the colours, different scenes and connecting water as inspiration but I used trees instead. I like the ideas of the different scenes being separate to show there are many bad teachings not just one. I chose to add trees to my print because the brain associate’s nature with positivity and releases endorphins. This gives the illusion that the wallpaper will be something positive and naturally enjoy looking at it until you look closer and see the disturbing scenes! I chose to do an array of scenes in different sizing, so the eye is drawn to certain aspects first. I also decided that by making the trees the most detailed and larger elements, the eye could catch them first giving the positive illusion."