"Here and there in this picture gold sparkles, as it does in many of his pieces. But these are not fragments of gold leaf, they are foil chocolate wrappers, knowingly applied as if on an icon. This is one of Whelan’s signature techniques, a conscious reference to his vision of the presence of God in the most mundane locations. His are visionary paintings, effortlessly combining the temporal and the spiritual – heaven and earth in one reality."
Meryl Doney, Artway Visual Meditation, November 17, 2013
"What intrigues me most about Brian’s Holy Cities are the many doors and windows that seem to beckon me to enter. This is a city which welcomes the stranger and seems to thrive on transparency. There is a genius behind the fact that the many houses of worship are created from the wrappers of various sweets from around the world. Not only does this give the paintings luminosity unlike anything I have ever seen, but it invites the pilgrim to understand that the structures themselves are merely a shell, a recollection of the true sweetness which was found inside."
Jeff Frohner, "A Pilgrimage Of Sight"
