In observance of the Easter holiday, many churches hold programs, passion plays and other events to commemorate the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Two Augusta area churches teamed up to put a contemporary twist on celebrating and sharing the Easter message with a show in downtown Augusta.

“I know I was looking at a few of these and I got goose bumps,” Brad Nichols, a viewer, said.

The Way of The Cross is an interactive art exhibit.

“It's a great tutorial. Just to walk through, each person takes something different from each piece,” Kristy Fincher, a church member, said.

A collaborative effort between The Quest and The Well churches of Augusta and local artists, the art collection illustrates the story behind Easter.

“My painting represents Jesus praying to take this cup of suffering from me, praying to his father and at the end of the prayer He says not my will but yours
From the materials to the colors each artist expresses their feelings about the time surrounding Jesus' crucifixion,” Dana Putnam, a participating artist, said.

“The interpretations of Christ on the Cross and the different things what he went through are very moving,” Nichols said.

“Throughout history people have been celebrating this in various churches in various means and methods artistically so we're just trying to do a contemporary version of that,” Pastor Jeremy Carr of The Well Church said.

‘It's been cool to see people stop and take the self-guided tour through this journey through this way of the cross,” Pastor John Kenney of The Quest Church said.

This year's show featured 12 artists and 26 pieces, but organizers are already planning for a bigger show next year.

The Way of The Cross Art Exhibit will be open for viewing again on First Friday, April 4th, at The Well Church located at 716 Broad Street in downtown Augusta.