 |
|
 |
| John August Swanson |
| |
|
| |
Nomination: For his role as American Religious Artist --- especially in the field of serigraphy
The Folk Art of renowned Los Angeles artist JOHN AUGUST SWANSON, rises far above the naivety and primitive drawing skills often attributed to traditional folk arts. The artist describes his multi-colored serigraphs as “straightforward” and “easy for people to view and understand.”
From the start of his artistic career, he never felt the need to “copy” other artists’ styles. He was thirty years old when he decided to become an artist. “It took me a long time to understand what I needed to do. I knew that I wasn’t good at communicating with words or through writing ... but I found that I was good at communicating through art.” He was blessed with his own unique style from day one. He does credit, however, the late Corita Kent for encouraging him not only through calligraphy which she taught him, but also for helping him discover his talents. “She taught the discipline of ‘doing!’” says Swanson. “She emphasized that through work comes your talent.”
He never lets an opportunity pass without mentioning his roots. His father was a Swedish vegetable peddler and his mother, a Mexican garment worker. He vividly recalls his first visit to Mexico where he witnessed many epiphanies: storytellers painting spiritual and political history through colorful wall murals. Swanson says, “The Mexican muralists are geniuses.” And though his own works may reflect the brilliant colors of these artisans, Swanson work is original, clear, impressive and even inspiring. “Most religious art deals with piety and devotion,” says the artist. My work deals more with narrative scenes; it tells a story.”
Swanson’s serigraphs and paintings can be found in museums across the world, including three museums of the Smithsonian Institutions, the Art Institute of Chicago, Harvard University’s Fogg Museum, the Tate Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, and the Vatican Museums’ Collection of Modern Religious Art.
John August Swanson was awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa, from California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California on May 11, 1996, in recognition of his visionary achievements as a graphic artist.
For more information
about the art of
John August Swanson,
please visit:
www.johnaugustswanson.com
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
