Ohio artist James E. Seward spent nearly 9 months painting All Were Satisfied which tells the story of Christ feeding the multitude with the loaves and fishes. Although he hasn't included all of the 5000 persons reported to have been there, this amazing painting certainly gives that impression. Of note are the following:
1. Men were separated from the women and children. Men were seated to the right side and women and children were seated to the left. 
2. Reportedly, there were 12 baskets of scraps and leftovers when the meal was finished. There are 5 filled baskets near Jesus and the boy who shared his meal, and there are seven disciples in the painting collecting scraps from the multitude.
Mark 6:32-44  Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
"So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."
"By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. 'This is a remote place,' they said, 'and it's already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.'
"But he answered, 'You give them something to eat.'
"They said to him, 'That would take eight months of a man's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?'
"'How many loaves do you have?' he asked. 'Go and see.'
"When they found out, they said, 'Five - and two fish.'
"Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand."

LUKE 1:26-38 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.” 

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

This painting of the Nativity depicts Jesus beginning his life as a human being.  Remember the popular verse in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Lamb of God by James Seward ~ Luke 15:6b
"...Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost."
James E. Seward has been painting religious themes for more than 40 years. He is an ordained minister and teaches as well as paints.

Mother and Child by James Seward ~ "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel."
ISAIAH 7:14 Artist James E. Seward is also an ordained minister. His wife Lyn is also an artist as are their three sons.

James Seward is one of today's most sought-after Christian artists.  His newest release depicts Jesus at twelve years old in the temple where He, Mary, and Joseph went every year to celebrate Passover.  On their way home, Mary and Joseph discovered Jesus was missing and returned to find Him.  Jesus was in the temple talking with the doctors of law, who were astonished at His understanding and knowledge.  Of course, these scholarly men were unaware of who Jesus was.  When Mary and Joseph chided Jesus for lingering, he asked, "Don't you realize I must be about my Father's business?" (referring to God, His Father).

MARK 4: 36-41

"And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?' And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?' And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?'"

James Seward's paintings bring to life the teachings of Jesus.  In this beautiful scene, the tradition of that time was for the lowest servant in the household to wash the feet of all guests as a courtesy in a hot and dusty land.  Even though Lord and Saviour, Jesus  assumed the part of the servant, in spite of Peter's protests. Jesus' humble act showed His disciples that, although they were bearers of the Gospel, they were to love and serve all.  Jesus' loving example applies to us today.

John 13: 12-17, "...Know ye what I have done to you?  Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am.  If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done unto you."

I find it a great honor that Somerset Fine Art has entrusted me to paint these pictures depicting Christ.  I realize it is my responsibility to paint these depictions as scripturally and historically accurate as possible.  It takes much research as well as scriptural insight.

In Biblical times at a feast with a large gathering, the tables were placed in a U shape, so that the serving people would have access to the guests.  I needed to find authentic vessels and containers to place the food on.  These would be baskets, pitchers, terracotta goblets, and some metal pieces.  For the oil lamps, I molded one in clay and baked it.  I set the tables up with some fake foods as well as real foods, and I placed candles on the table to simulate the illumination of the lamps.

My two sons, my wife, Lyn, and other friends posed for the figures.  They were dressed in representative clothes of the era, and I created a light source appropriate for the position of each in the painting.  Since people do not have time to pose for long periods of time, we used a digital camera to photograph everything and printed them on the computer so I could refer to them easily while painting. 

This is a Passover feast.  Some may call it the Last Supper.  Jesus is about to show his cup and say, “This is my blood, which is shed for you.”  Several near him are praying.

Jesus tells his disciples that he is going away (John, Chapters 12-17), and the Father is going to send another comforter, which is the Holy Spirit.  He says in John 14:20 that on that great day (Pentecost) "You will know that I am in you and you are in me.”

In verse 21 he promises to manifest himself to the believer, and in so many words explains that the Holy Spirit is given to make Jesus real inside of us.  Chapter 17 concludes the evening speaking of that inner union of Christ and the believer as a reality.
My great desire is that this painting and its message will be a blessing to all.

The Prayer by James Seward ~ "The Prayer of the upright is His delight." PROVERBS 15:8
Artist James E. Seward is an ordained minister whose career has led him from illustration of religious books to preaching and back to painting for the Lord. This is one of his favorite pieces, and it touches all who see it.

James E. Seward has recreated The Last Supper in this superb painting. All of the disciples join Christ in the breaking of the bread, while the women serve the Passover meal. The artist's sons and relatives modeled for figures in the painting which has the look of the Old Masters. Seward, who is an ordained minister, worked for many years as an illustrator for many religious denominations before turning recently to fine art as a full time endeavor. Luke 22:29-30a "And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom..."

Artist James E. Seward has created the definitive painting featuring the Baptism of Christ. Including more than 55 characters and an authentic setting along the River Jordan, Seward captures the essence of the moment when God's voice came from heaven saying, "This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased." Each onlooker has his or her own personality and reaction to hearing God's voice. Seward's son posed for Christ as he did in "This is My Body" which sold out within a few months of release. Other family members and friends posed for the myriad of spectators and for John the Baptist. Each character required an individual photo shoot and sketches.

This scene depicts Jesus praying, the disciples asleep, and the temple soldiers coming to arrest him. I wanted to show it was evening, yet get enough detail to properly depict the subject. The scripture says that an angel appeared from heaven to strengthen Jesus. God, the Father, was about to put all the sins of the world upon Jesus. 
He was the sacrificial lamb to pay for mankind’s sins: 
"God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
He is incurring great pain and suffering, which will only end in the cross. 
His physical body was falling apart, as he was sweating great drops of blood.
Yet he said, "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but Thine be done.” Luke 22:42
This sacrifice makes it possible for us to be saved and become children of God.

JOHN 18:37-38
37   Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king?"  Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."
38   Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"  After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in him."

Luke 7:36-50

Simon, a Pharisee, has invited Jesus to come and eat with him. As they ate a woman came in with an alabaster container of ointment. Weeping, she washed his feet with the ointment. Simon and his friends were amazed that this woman, noted as a sinner, would come in and do such an extravagant thing.