The Art of John August Swanson Comes Back to Los Feliz
What is the exhibit?
It is a showcase of the artwork of John August Swanson, hosted by the John August Swanson Studio. Chris Romano, who runs the show, says it spans John's early work from the late 1960s and early 1970s, such as “The Inventor” and “The Minstrel,” up to his final pieces, including “The Storm,” which was John's look at what COVID-19 was doing at the time. As Chris puts it, “We were all part of this community going through the storm of COVID-19.”
There are also pieces released after John passed, such as an edition of “Ecclesiastes” and some Nativity works that were being planned while he was still alive. “It sort of reflects all the moments throughout his life and his different loves as well, from biblical stories to secular city scenes, musical operas, and circus acts.” Seasonal greeting cards and posters will also be available, and the exhibit is free.
Why here, at Our Mother of Good Counsel?
John lived on Waverly Drive in Silver Lake and was part of this parish community. “This was John's parish for a large majority of his life.” Chris says people have told him they remember John coming to the church with his mother.
John had done shows here before, and the parish owns some of his work, including “The Celebration.” He was also good friends with the Pitts sisters, who did a lot of the stained glass in the church.
Who is behind it?
Chris got involved when Lourdes Brent contacted him about doing a show as part of the 100th anniversary of Our Mother of Good Counsel. Everything went through the pastor of the church, currently Father Max, and along the way Chris met Gail and Sarah Arlington. He counts this as his fifth show at the parish.
For Chris, it has been a chance to talk with people who knew John, like the Clark family and Mrs. Pina, who has been part of the parish for years. “It was just a good opportunity to reconnect with the community.” His favorite memory is the first time he came back and saw Mrs. Pina again. “It was great to see her.”
What will I see when I stop by?
Both the religious and secular art of John August Swanson. Chris explains how John saw his own work: “John didn't really like to consider himself a Christian or religious artist. He liked to consider himself more as a spiritual artist, and he was telling universal stories that could appeal to everyone, no matter what their religious background was.”
One example is his procession painting. In the 1980s version, everyone depicted serving at the altar was a man. Later, John changed it to include a processional cross and both men and women as altar servers and priests.
Chris hopes people see stories like David and Goliath and Daniel in the Lion's Den, and how those stories pertain to the events of today, and maybe aspects of their own lives in John's images.
Is anything new this time?
Chris adds more work and expands the exhibit a bit each time. “The first time I did it, I just brought a cheap projector from home, and now I have this whole sound system thing going on, which is very nice.” He also enjoys the people who come in off the street, neighbors from Los Feliz who are meeting John's artwork for the first time.
Where can I see more of John's work?
The John August Swanson Studio in Pasadena has about 80 framed artworks up, on the second floor at 1005 East Colorado Boulevard, at Catalina. It is open Monday through Friday, 10 to 6, and you can ask about a special appointment by emailing studio@johnaugustswanson.com or calling 310-649-1210. There is also johnaugustswanson.com and a Facebook page that shares an artwork of the day with a quote.
As Chris says of John's large collection, “It's still relevant today as it was when he originally created it,” and the goal is to spread the word so future generations can enjoy it.
When and where is John August Swanson Art Exhibit?
Sunday, October 4, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at Parish Hall, 2060 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Free. Every detail, a map and a button to add it to your calendar are on the John August Swanson Art Exhibit event page. For the latest from the organizers, see their site.
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