Los Angeles artist John August Swanson is in good company.

Named as one of 33 recipients of the first annual International Mother Teresa Awards acknowledging spiritual, artistic, humanitarian and philanthropic accomplishments, Swanson is among luminaries such as Pope John Paul II, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, President Jimmy Carter, Mel Gibson, John Michael Talbot and Sister Wendy Beckett.

It's heady recognition for Swanson, 67, a self-described late bloomer who didn't find his niche until age 30 when he enrolled in a night class on lettering and design taught by Immaculate Heart Sister Corita Kent at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. Corita Kent (1918-1986) was internationally known for her silk screens combining inspirational sayings and vivid colors.

"She opened doors and windows," said Swanson, who worked in quality control for a paint factory at the time. As a member of the Young Christian Worker movement, Swanson was inspired by Sister Kent's artwork exploring themes of hope, justice and peace. Personally, he was buoyed by her belief in his unexplored artistic talents, and blossomed in the creative environment.

Taking one artistic step at a time, Swanson began his foray into art by silk screening signs for causes he believed in, such as the peace and farm worker movements taking place in the Vietnam-era sixties and seventies. A tactile learner, he spent hours at fine-arts print studios learning while making mistakes.

"It took me a long time to understand what I needed to do," said Swanson, a parishioner at Our Mother of Good Counsel Church in Los Angeles. "I knew I wasn't good at communicating with words or through writing, but I found that I was good at communicating through art."

Storytelling heritage
Swanson's colorfully detailed serigraphs and paintings over more than three decades reflect the heritage of storytelling he inherited from his immigrant Swedish father and Mexican mother parents. On his first trip to Mexico, he was deeply impressed by the Mexican muralists who told stories with their colorful wall murals depicting political, cultural and religious scenes.

Swanson doesn't go along with much of the art world's "art for art's sake mentality." His folk art scenes of Bible stories, saints' lives and everyday existence tell a story to uplift the soul. "I want to bring the relevance of spiritual stories that transcend time," he described.

His artwork is in several museums, including three museums of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., the Tate Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museums in London, the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris and the Vatican Museum's Collection of Modern Religious Art.

Four banners of Swanson's works, including "Psalm 85," "Festival of Lights," "Celebration" and "Story of Ruth," were held aloft in the entrance processions celebrating the dedication of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in 2002. A large painting of Swanson's "The Fisherman" is currently on display at St. Joseph Church in Los Angeles.

A 6-foot-by-8-foot mosaic of Swanson's serigraph, "Great Catch," made from Byzantine glass by Italian craftsmen, graces the foyer of Concordia University in Irvine. And a large outdoor banner of his "Celebration" is being prepared for the exterior of the West Hollywood Presbyterian Church.

New serigraph
Swanson has just completed his latest serigraph, "Take Away the Stone," depicting Christ's raising of Lazarus from the dead. The seven-month project, requiring 57 color stencil overlays, is the culmination of a visual idea Swanson began drawing back in 1989. "It's interesting how your unconscious chooses things," said Swanson. He identifies with Lazarus' rebirth, which "happens in all stages of life."

Drawing on the Mexican tradition of El Dia de los Muertos (Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, All Souls), the serigraph portrays people coming together as a community to console Lazarus' sisters at the moment Jesus embraces Lazarus in the tomb. "They come with sorrow that will soon be changed to joy," is how Swanson describes his latest visual narrative.

"Art is important as a way of communication to reach people. It goes beyond borders, beyond the rational. I'm trying to convey transcendent ideas that will empower people to take the next step on their journey," said Swanson.

He has received "many touching letters" from viewers of his work, especially from those suffering from illness. The family of one terminally ill woman told Swanson their loved one was clutching his illustrated book of "St. Francis" when she died. "Art is healing," said Swanson. "It's gratifying that people find my work meaningful."

For information on purchasing Swanson's artwork or illustrated books, log on to www.JohnAugustSwanson.com. Local stores carrying samples of his work include El Pueblo Folk Art, 50 N. Raymond Blvd. in Pasadena, and Holy Family Church Bookstore in South Pasadena. Information on the International Mother Teresa Awards sponsored by the St. Bernadette Institute of Sacred Art in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is available at www.motherteresaawards.com.