| Allison
Krause was one of the four victims of the Kent State shootings in
1970, and is named as part of this group of six paintings. I wrote
more about this on the page for May 4 1970,
so if you want to read more, go head over there.
This
is a really great painting. I managed to create an almost textured
effect, like prerendered wool, that also shows a good mix of light
and color. Maybe I'm repeating myself here, but it's a good piece
that works well with the other four. As long as I could create something
that didn't look obviously computer-generated, but more natural,
I would be happy. You know that plastic Photoshop look I'm talking
about.
Reflecting
on Allison Krause, and the general Kent State theme again, I found
this to be a resonant incident for me this year, as I protested
George Bush's Gulf War II along with most of the world's population
(and a good number of Americans). Of course, I don't expect to see
the police shooting at me anytime soon, but there seems to be a
long tradition of state power being abused. You don't need to read
about the Civil Right Era or Vietnam to understand that; police
brutality, our broken Capital Punishment system, a shoot-first foreign
policy carry on that sad legacy in 2003. Iraq is merely the latest,
and loudest, example.
In
a larger sense, that's what I protest against. America is not served
by appealing to its lesser angels. |
