More often than not I hear this from my boy Judah in the evening. This time of night where he jumps around his room making crazy sound effects and I suspect he’s looking for sensory input. At this point I’m in bed and tired so my usual response is, “Read a book son.” On this particular night a book wouldn’t do, so I suggested he draw a picture of how he is feeling. I told him don’t worry about subject matter, just make lines and shapes to release the energy you have boiling inside you.
This is what he created, colored….
“Restless”Original DrawingPalette and inspiration drawn from Wassily Kandinsky’s Jaune Rouge Bleu.
“RBG’s death fills me with an fear and anxiousness I haven’t felt since the last presidential election. I’m plagued with the same question – Why does it seem like evil is winning?”
I posted this to my Facebook the day after. I’d been reticent about looking at my feed or reading the news. I didn’t want to feel hopeless.
A dear friend of mine encouraged me to to take action so I didn’t feel so anxious and helpless, so I decided to make some art for the cause and donate all profits to the Biden 2020 campaign. I made my first donation last night, and let me tell you, it was therapeutic.
I only make 20% commission on Redbubble sales and I wish I could do more.
In fact, fame has never sounded so good… but not for me. I like being anonymous.
Every once in a while I make something that someone famous will respond to. I float around for a day knowing someone who’s art I admire liked something I did. It’s a good feeling.
So, it would be super awesome if a politically like-minded famous person helped promote this endeavor.
Or, if possible, I could just donate the art directly to the Biden Campaign for them fundraise with. That way they get the most bang for their buck.
Then I would know that I helped make the world a better place. Isn’t that the ultimate goal of any artist?
As I scroll through all the Chadwick Boseman condolences I’m seeing political figures saying good bye too, and occasionally the response is “Stop using this man’s tragedy to further your political aspirations. His death is not political.” But I think it is and here’s why.
When “Black Panther” came out I read all of they hype of a strong black superhero and how important it was for the black community. I was stoked for them, but I didn’t truly understand what it meant until I decided to go to a movie showing of Avengers: Endgame one night when I was out of town at a convention in Novi.
Yes I will go to movies by myself – if it’s something I really want to see. I’d been at the comic con all day and every other person brought up the movie to me and I had to warn them off that I had yet to see it.
So I went. I found a theatre down the road from the convention hall and found the perfect seat. 3 rows back, dead center. It was packed with folks, but there was a solitary seat in between two black couples. They looked at me sideways when I sat down, but whatever, I was there to watch the movie. The audience was more diverse than what is common in the town where I’m from. As the movie got going I was 100% engaged in the story. The people around me disappeared… until Black Panther came on the screen. The audience erupted in cheers. This reaction was new to me and I was struck by how important it was for this group of predominantly black people to see a hero up there that represented them. I was in awe, but also a bit ashamed by my white privelege. There were many heroes on screen who looked like me.
With the Black Lives Matter movement and an administration that doesn’t recognize or even acknowledge systemic racism – the loss of Chadwick Boseman is political. He was important to the black community. I experienced it and felt the weight of their love for his character.
I’m glad those I will vote for recognize Chadwick Bosman’s importance to the black community.
This is Judah’s submission for the “Boat the Blue” Art Show sponsored by the Antique & Classic Boat Show, taking place September 11-12 in downtown Port Huron.
Mom: This is a quintessential Judah composition – busy! What I love best about coloring his scenes is untangling all of the action. The more I do them the more I can see the adventure myself.
Color palette/inspiration piece is “Yellow Red Blue 1925” by Wassily Kandinsky.
