SARASOTA — Frank Hopper, a nationally recognized artist and member of St. John’s United Methodist Church here, had been wondering what he could do in response to the Sept. 11 tragedies. One Sunday after worship he found inspiration on the church’s projection screen and soon had created a painting he calls “Piet‡ at Ground Hero.”

The image Hopper saw projected above the chancel in his church was a version of Michelangelo’s famous carving “Piet‡.” Instead of Mary holding the crucified Jesus in her lap, it showed a man holding Jesus vertically.

Within a month, the man who has painted presidential portraits, World War II combat scenes and church murals had created an image of Mary sitting on a pile of rubble holding a dead New York City firefighter in her lap. The American flag is in place of the shroud on which Jesus is lying in Michelangelo’s statue.

“I just came up with the idea, ” Hopper said. “It happened in church. It’s incredible what the Lord gives you.

“Michelangelo’s ‘Piet‡’ is quite a symbol. I hope [Hopper’s version] it’s not too Catholic because I want it to appeal to all faiths, even Muslim.”

Hopper hopes his painting has a broad impact because he is using it to raise funds for the New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund, United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Catholic Charities and other churches and charities. He is selling 16" x 29" full-color prints of his painting for $260 each. Half of each sale will be donated to the Firefighters’ fund, and 20 percent will be donated to UMCOR or the church or charity of the purchaser’s choice.

Hopper has sold 150 prints so far, but is hoping a recent marketing campaign and the holiday season will increase sales.

Reactions to the painting have been mixed, according to Hopper. “I placed the painting in the church, and I saw one woman go down on her knees crying when she saw it, she was so moved by it,” he said.

Others have pointed out what they believe Hopper did wrong in the painting. “I’ve received some criticism for replacing Christ with the fireman, but it’s a powerful enough symbol,” he said. “And the firefighter cradled in the flag is a powerful symbol, but the flag’s not supposed to be on the ground.”

Despite the criticism, Hopper, who has been painting professionally for 66 years, believes in what he did. “The woods are full of artists who can paint pretty pictures, but I wanted to make a powerful statement,” he said.

Hopper also hopes his work will inspire more than generosity. “It’s [Sept. 11] almost too horrible to comprehend,” he said. “It’s frightening. The world is completely polarized into Christians and evil. It tears you apart inside to see what’s happening to civilization. I hope this painting jolts people into getting back to the fundamentals of life, like religion. If this painting can draw people back to the real values in life…”

The original is now hanging in a conference room at the Fire Department of New York’s headquarters in Brooklyn. Hopper personally delivered it last month, taking time to meet former New York Mayor Rudolph Juliani and a rabbi and Christian chaplain from the fire department.

For more information on Hopper or to order a print of “Piet‡ at Ground Hero,” visit Hopper’s Web site at http://www.artbyhopper.com .