 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” ~John 6:9 What are they indeed? What do the gifts we have to offer matter in this world of need—especially given the width and breadth and height of the challenges we face? Climate change forces that rage even in wealthy countries. Work-life patterns that seem not to work for or give life to anyone. Political winds that blow with gale force through our communities and our souls. What momentum do we perceive toward real change? What hope do we have for recovering human connections and well-being? It all feels beyond our control. We ask with the disciples, what are our gifts among so many people? And yet we do have good work to do. But it is not our work to control it all. We are the workers; we are the servants; we are the sheep in need of a shepherd, the hungry looking for food. Where is our hope? Whom, this day, will we serve? Leave those last questions to the one says again and again, “Do not be afraid.” Enter into worship. Readings: 2 Samuel 11:1-15 † Psalm 14 or 2 Kings 4:42-44 † Psalm 145:10-18 † Ephesians 3:14-21 † John 6:1-21 About the Art: Swanson, John August. Jesus with Boys, Loaves and Fishes, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56560 [retrieved July 22, 2024]. Original source: Estate of John August Swanson, https://www.johnaugustswanson.com/. About the Artist: 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.
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