Resident Artist Nicora Gangi‘s fifth work for 2013 deals with the theme of “Harvest” and responds to Mark 4:26-29 as part of a collection inspired by each of the six themes for the year.
Explore the other visual works created throughout the year in Nicora's collection, created as a 2013 Artist in Residence.
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Scripture
Mark 4:26–29
26 ¶ And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Nicora Gangi
The good seed is the gospel sown in the world and sown in the heart and by degrees produces wonderful effects but with noise. So is the kingdom of God, so is the gospel when it is sown and received as seed in the good ground. Though the seed seem lost and buried under the clods it will find or make its way through them. Let the work of Christ have the place it ought to have in a soul and it will show itself. The seed planter cannot describe how it come up, it is one of the mysteries of nature. It springs and grows up he knows not how. We know not how the Spirit by the Word makes a change in the heart any more than we can account for the blowing of the wind. The farmer sleeps and rises night and day – the same is the word of grace when it is received in faith. Faith is in the heart a work of grace and the preacher contributes nothing to it. The Spirit of God is carrying it on when they sleep and can do no business. It grows gradually, first the blade and so on, when it is sprung up it will go forward. Nature will have its course and so will grace. Christ’s interest both in the world and in the heart is and will be a growing interest. Nature does nothing abruptly, God carries on his work insensibly and without noise, but insuperably and without fail. When it is ripe and ready the owner puts it to the sickle. That Christ now accepts the services which are done to him by an honest heart from a good principle from the fruit of the gospel taking place and working in the soul. Christ gathers in a harvest of honor to himself and He will reward them in eternal life. When those that receive that gospel aright have finished their course, the harvest comes when they shall be gathered as wheat into God’s barn as a sheath of corn in His season. Matthew 13:30
Nicora Gangi was educated at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York, USA (BFA 1974 and MFA 1976). She was a Professor of Art at Syracuse University for 29 years. Gangi has been awarded many Grand Prize and First Place awards and grants. She has been and continues to be published in numerous artist’s books on pastel paintings. She has lectured regionally and nationally as a visiting artist at universities and artist’s guilds. She is represented by: Edgewood Gallery (Syracuse, NY), and Gangi Studio (Winter Garden, FL).