Loaves and Fishes and Birthdays

Loaves and Fishes

SWANSON, John August

2003

Los Angeles, California

United States

 

Artist’s Notes: For many years I sketched, and tried to work out in my imagination, how the scene of the LOAVES AND FISHES, with its multitude of people, could be painted. I wanted this image to honor native peoples in many parts of the world; those who work the land for their livelihood, and have lived for generations in small communities or villages...

The people in my painting are wearing garments with many colors and patterns, inspired by the creations of the makers of cloth, the weavers, and the dyers of Central America, Mexico, and parts of Africa and India... 

My image of LOAVES AND FISHES emphasizes and reminds us of the basic needs of all humanity. We all share the need for food and for providing for our families and communities. If we take the cosmic view, that there currently exists enough of what we need to sustain the world; we urgently need to consider sharing the resources that have been entrusted to us.

JOHN AUGUST SWANSON makes his home in Los Angeles, California, where he was born in 1938. He paints in oil, watercolor, acrylic and mixed media, and is an independent printmaker of limited edition serigraphs, lithographs and etchings.

His art reflects the strong heritage of storytelling he inherited from his Mexican mother and Swedish father. John Swanson’s narrative is direct and easily understood. He addresses himself to human values, cultural roots, and his quest for self-discovery through visual images. These include Bible stories and social celebrations such as attending the circus, the concert, and the opera. He also tells of everyday existence, of city and country walks, of visits to the library, the train station or the schoolroom. All his parables optimistically embrace life and one’s spiritual transformation.

John Swanson studied with Corita Kent at Immaculate Heart College. His unique style is influenced by the imagery of Islamic and medieval miniatures, Russian iconography, the color of Latin American folk art, and the tradition of Mexican muralists.

His art is in no way "naïve." It is detailed, complex, and elaborate. Unlike many contemporary artists, John Swanson works directly on all phases in producing his original prints. His serigraphs (limited-edition screen prints) have from 40 to 89 colors printed, using transparent and opaque inks creating rich and detailed imagery. For each color printed the artist must draw a stencil on Mylar film. This stencil is transferred to the silk screen for printing the color ink on the serigraph edition. The resulting serigraph is a matrix of richly overlaid colors visually striking and technically masterful.

Mr. Swanson’s art is represented in the permanent collections of many museums, including three museums of the Smithsonian Institution: The National Museum of American History, The National Museum of American Art and The National Air and Space Museum. He is also included in the print collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, Harvard University’s Fogg Museum, the Tate Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. His painting THE PROCESSION is one of relatively few works by contemporary artists to be selected for the Vatican Museums’ Collection of Modern Religious Art. In 2008, an extensive collection of John August Swanson’s works were purchased by Emory University’s Candler School of Theology to hang on the walls of their new 76,349 square foot building. He was awarded The Dean’s Medal for his art’s transformative effect on the campus. With over 55 works hung, this is the largest open public display of the artwork of John August Swanson. [from the artist's website]

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20200731652610643&code=ACT&RC=56553&Row=11

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Catholic tradition, there is a form of grace, the sanctifying one, that is the stuff of your soul.  It is not defined by moments of mercy or opportunity; it is not good things happening to you.  Rather, it is the good thing that is in you, regardless of what happens.  You carry this down through generations, some as the epigenetic trauma of a violent slave-master society.  But the grace is the bigger part.  It is what made the ancestors hold on so that we could become.

~ Imani Perry

 

 

 

 

 

JAK had another haircut!

(Taken through the window; I am not allowed inside.)

 

 

An onsen in Hakone, Japan

 

Front row:  Reina and Meishi Sakakibara, Robin Sakamoto, Ray and Junna Yoshioka

Standing:  Yushi Sakakibara, Eugene Yoshioka, Kei Sakamoto

 

Robin’s Three Sons

Kei Sakamoto, Yushi Sakakibara, Eugene Yoshioka

All of the young men have sisters, but no brothers.

 

 

My BIG Birthday!

Brunch at Sharron's

Rebecca Martin, Eileen Sharkey, Sharron Leonard

 

Sharron hand-painted a special rock for me!

 

Dinner with the Vickstroms

Bull and Carolyn Alexander

 

Mark and Anne Vickstrom

 

Such a delightful time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20200731652610643&code=ACT&RC=55894&Row=6

 

 

Genesis 32:22-31 with Psalm 17:1-7, 15 or
Isaiah 55:1-5 with Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21

 

 

 

 

Genesis 32:22-31

The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.

Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." So he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." Then the man said, "You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved." The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.

with

Psalm 17:1-7, 15

Hear a just cause, O God;
   attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer
   from lips free of deceit.

From you let my vindication come;
   let your eyes see the right.

If you try my heart,
   if you visit me by night,
if you test me,
   you will find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.

As for what others do,
   by the word of your lips
I have avoided the ways
   of the violent.

My steps have held fast
   to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.

I call upon you,
   for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me,
   hear my words.

Wondrously show your steadfast love,
   O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries
   at your right hand.

As for me, I shall behold your face
   in righteousness;
when I awake I shall be satisfied,
   beholding your likeness.

or

Isaiah 55:1-5

Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.

Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.

See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.

with

Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21

God is gracious and merciful,
   slow to anger and abounding
in steadfast love.

God is good 
   to all,
and God's compassion is over all 
   that God has made.

God upholds all
   who are falling,
and raises up all
   who are bowed down.

The eyes of all
   look to you,
and you give them their food
   in due season.

You open your hand to all,
   satisfying the desire
of every living thing.

In every way God is just, 
   and kind in every action.

God is near to all 
   who call,
to all who call on God 
   in truth.

God fulfills the desire of all
   who fear God;
God also hears their cry,
   and saves them.

God watches over all
   who love God,
but will destroy
   all the wicked.

My mouth will speak
   the praise of God,
and all flesh will bless
   God's holy name 
forever and ever.

Romans 9:1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit--I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Matthew 14:13-21

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send thecrowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.