For Larry Swetman, art has been a saving grace. Growing up in a broken family in East Point, Ga., Mr. Swetman found solace and encouragement in art classes. While he found art as a child, Mr. Swetman said he found God as a teenager. In 2008, he graduated from Covenant College with a degree in biblical and theological studies.

“Art and music classes let me see the world the way that I needed to see it to cope,” he said. “Art teachers were always the most encouraging people. I find that the arts gets to the depths of who a person is.”

Q: If somebody were to look at one of your paintings, what does that express about you?

A: It’s everything that’s gotten me to this point in my life. You will see change, and that’s the whole point; it’s change of perspective. I find myself working with red a lot and bright colors when I’m in a good mood because they appeal to me, they comfort me. When I find myself down, I paint in blues and grays and silvers, these things that you just look at and you can feel. That’s the whole point of modern art: to feel when you look at it.

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