By GARY HENDERSON
Staff Writer

UNION, S.C. (7/28/95) -- A North Carolina man said a January visit to John D. Long Lake inspired him to paint an angelic scene featuring Alex and Michael Smith.

"My wife and I went to the lake like everybody else," said Shelby artist Jacques Woods. "I saw the sunlight on the trees across the lake and told her, `That's pretty as a picture.' "

Ever since that inspiration, Woods has worked daily on his acrylic painting. Thursday, he brought it to Union in hopes of attracting a buyer.

Woods stood at his easel as he put on the finishing touches across the street from the Union County Courthouse, where the trial of the boys' mother, Susan Smith, is in its sentencing phase.

"I thought if I just take this painting down here today, somebody might buy it," said Woods, who wants $500 for it. "If they do, that will be OK."

People gathered around Woods as he painted. Many of them complimented him on his work. Woods also had other, smaller paintings and pencil drawings of Alex and Michael on display that he wants to sell as well.

Woods, a soft-spoken, self-taught artist, said the day he and his wife visited the lake, his wife went back to their car for a camera and took a photograph of the scene.

"I was led by the spirit to do this," Woods said. "I don't know what will become of it but I had to do it."

Woods' painting features a celestial light shining on two child-sized angels featuring the face of Alex and Michael Smith. Their faces are based on the picture of them in the fliers passed out last October when Alex and Michael were missing.

"I wanted to show it didn't end at the lake," Woods said. "When the spirit left them, they were with God."

Woods is employed by Reliance Electric near Kings Mountain. He said he works a lot of overtime and is unable to watch much of the trial coverage.

"This story gives me a bad feeling," Woods said. "Between the hurt and depression, it's also touching."

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