User:Bdhamilton/Sandbox/Guns into Plowshares

To do

 * Check personal library for books that might reference the work
 * New section: In the context of Mennonite art
 * New section: In the context of DC gun violence
 * Add notes from Mennonites and Media (review, Google books)
 * Add notes from "The Art of Sharing"
 * General reference to Making Believe, a book about the modern flowering of Mennonite art in Canada.
 * Add notes from "Door to the Spiritual"

Mennonite Context
The Mennonites, a branch of Anabaptist Christianity named for Menno Simons (1496–1561), have traditionally placed a high value on what they considered a "plain" or "simple" form of life. Among other things, "simplicity" involved a rejection of decoration or ornament, which they viewed as an expression of vanity. Many Mennonites also objected to the use of images in worship. As a result, Mennonites did not develop a strong tradition of artmaking; their aesthetics focused rather on functional household objects like quilts and furniture.

In the latter half of the 20th century, however, a new tradition of distinctively Mennonite art began to emerge. The growth of this tradition was visible in both Mennonite literature and the visual arts. Esther Augsburger belonged to this new tradition. She was the first graduate of the newly formed studio art program at Eastern Mennonite University in 1972, and she went on to produce sculptures recognized both nationally and internationally. Her work Augsburger saw her art as a direct outgrowth of her religious commitments, saying "I draw from my faith to help create my pieces." Much of her work, like Guns into Plowshares, attests to the traditional Mennonite commitment to nonviolence.