VOTE! For me (Debra), the best part was collaborating with 6 year old Finn Thorsen and showing him that his voice can make a difference in the world.

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Vote because it is up to each of us to protect the natural world, and to speak up for every person's right to equal treatment, and decent housing Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness depends on it.

If the eyes are a mirror of the soul, this eye reflects sorrow, hope and awareness. My hope is that people viewing this piece will find themselves looking at the world through the eyes of Black people, feel our common humanity and understand that each of us is responsible to create a just society.

The pain of the killing of George Floyd seared into the collective heart of the nation. The racist system has chained our souls. There is a demand for action, for change. The three iconic words “Black Lives Matter” says it all.

As a child, I learned the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France symbolizing the friendship between our two countries, and honoring the welcoming spirit of the United States to immigrants from around the world. The “huddled masses yearning to be free.” The iconic statue represented to me all the good and idealistic things about our nation, particularly it's benevolence and status as a country respected for its ideals, and its honor.

The history of our nation has in fact been checkered, at best, the stains of genocide against native peoples along with the enslavement of African Americans among many shameful aspects. Other, higher aspirations have fortunately informed many of the decisions in the intervening years, with the recent presidency of Barack Obama a high point for compassion, reason, and integrity. Yet we now find ourselves at a moral low point and poised at a horrific crossroads which seems unparalleled. Not only are we in the grip of a terrifying global pandemic, but the fabric of our society is torn asunder by those who pit us against each other—those who play on deep-seated fears and insecurities to create hatred and mistrust. What I hope will be the outcome of all the pain and questioning, the unrest and protests, is a society closer to the ideals of equality and justice upon which our nation was founded.

My piece suggests that the welcoming icon of the Statue of Liberty, who greets those coming to New York harbor, would herself heartily embrace the sentiment behind recent protests for social justice. Yes, indeed, Black Lives Matter.

Black Lives Matter!

I like to add elements of FUN in my work in order to engage the viewer into the deeper message which, in this case, is restoration of fallen freedom - democracy. For this community Roadside Art Action project, I created a pop-art hippie San Francisco vibe with a female figure urging the viewer to VOTE.  How appropriate for these times, when statues are being felled and liberty is hanging on a precipice, to have Lady Liberty falling off her perch with her VOTE sign still vertically in one hand, and her flaming torch tightly held in the other.  Lady Liberty, symbol of FREEDOM FROM OPPRESSION, needs to remain an upright representation of freedom to ALL people. The Statue of Liberty's great stature dwarfs differences of all kinds, and unites ALL humans in the ideals of a free world.  Let’s uphold our democracy and pay homage to the Lady whose original name, "Liberty Enlightening the World”, carries brilliance to the world with her forever-lit torch.  Let’s get this Freedom Lady back on her feet, so freedom can flourish and ALL people can live harmoniously with respect, opportunities, love, peace and blessings.  xo — Marcia Patrice Ganeles-Kislik

VOTE!

VOTE!

In my artwork for the San Geronimo Valley Art Action, four spirits of nature bring a message to us people to VOTE. Their serious gazes suggest how much is at stake for all species; and ask people both to look within and to remember that their they are beings interconnected with all life, and seek wisdom from diverse perspectives. Through the colorful characters and other content, I suggest that we value each being’s uniqueness; trust that there can be harmony in the beautiful diversity of nature and humanity; and receive hope from life’s regenerative vibrancy and cyclic nature. I hope the artwork’s decorative style conveys my belief that political participation is part of an adult’s responsibility to protect children and a sense of childlike wonder and imagination, in our society. My use of iridescent gold and silver in this piece was one way I tried to express that the right to vote is a treasure. I hoped to convey the sense that -–however flawed our democracy- voting is a self-affirming and life-affirming act. As I worked on this piece, I thought of the other species who have no voice in human society, yet are subjected to its domination; and of the many people who are unjustly disenfranchised in the United States. I am so glad that sales of prints in this show will be contributed to two excellent organizations which are working to protect the human rights of people subjected to racist policies, particularly those imprisoned in the United States, and therefore disenfranchised. photographs

After I completed my “Vote” piece, I found I had time and inspiration to do another on the theme of Black Lives Matter. I am appalled that Black lives are so at risk here in America in situations that the privileged among us don’t think twice about. I decided to find photographs of some of the victims of police and vigilante violence to go along with their names. They were real people with hopes, dreams, and families who loved them. The process of finding the photographs and thinking about who they were and how they died brought me in touch with the rage and grief I feel over their loss. I felt very tender toward them as I arranged as many as would fit my composition on the board. It breaks my heart that George Floyd called out for his mother as the life was being forced out of him. Tamir Rice was just 12 years old. It took less than a minute for a police officer to decide to shoot him. Trayvon Martin, another child. Breonna Taylor was an EMT helping her community. She was in bed when unknown assailants (plain clothes cops) burst into her apartment. Elijah McClain, a gentle young man walking home. Rayshard Brooks was asleep in his car. He could have walked to his sister’s house. Sandra Bland died in police custody after a traffic stop. Why was any of this necessary? Put down the guns. So many others have died. We need it to stop. Think how you would feel if you had a black son or daughter. How do you protect them? How do you keep them safe from the nervous cop? From the power-drunk cop? From the racist vigilante? We have so much work to do as a society before we can truly live up to our ideals of equality and justice for all.

I was very honored that the Presbyterian Church in San Geronimo chose this piece to display on their property. It was very disturbing that it was the first piece to be violently run down. This is a piece that shows the faces of people who were already murdered once. Is it necessary to murder them again? The members of the church lovingly repaired it and restored it to a place further off the road. That gives me hope.

I chose the theme “Vote” because we need everyone’s voice to be heard this critical election year. I decided to do a collage along with some painting. I at first thought that I would include pictures of all of the reasons that I vote: nature, the environment, children—mine and others, social justice, well-being, health, endangered species, you get it—the list goes on forever! I started with flowers from my garden and I ended up sticking to just that one theme. Flowers represent beauty, optimism and the desire for a peaceful world. I also included a photo of earth in the center of the “O” in Vote. (The word “VOTE” is 3D—raised from the background) We are all one family here on the spinning ball that is Earth. Vote for the good of all.

Black Lives Matter

I love painting and expressing myself through my art - this has been a difficult time for all of us - I am grateful to have my artwork. It is my time of meditation and opportunity to think ,calm my mind,
and find peace.
I really urge everyone to vote. It is the number one way for each of us to have some power to change what we do not like or do like. I am hoping everyone in this country will come out and vote in 2020. It Is a more important time Than ever to let our leaders know what we think.

Taking a cue from Groucho Marx who famously quipped, If you are not having fun, you’re doing something wrong, my sign intends to add a bit of levity to the census conversation that might be stressful or contentious for some people. The classic Groucho nose-and-glasses are instantly recognized as a symbol for good humor so my sign hopefully will not only evoke laughter but will prompt people to “fill out the census” and have fun doing it!!!

Black Lives Matter!

When I asked a Latina friend — how to say VOTE in Spanish — she said VOTO. We both smiled at once. We have much in common. Borrowing the Mexican papel picador cutout design was icing on the cake.

When I asked a Latina friend — how to say VOTE in Spanish — she said VOTO. We both smiled at once. We have much in common. Borrowing the Mexican papel picador cutout design was icing on the cake.

Black Lives Matter!

VOTE!

"Race doesn't really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don't have that choice." ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

"Race doesn't really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don't have that choice." ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I hope that my piece catches the eye of every driver along Sir Francis Drake to remind them of the injustice and the inequality that we are facing, and that every opportunity to speak out and make a difference is working towards equality for all.

Simply Vote!

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Black Lives Matter!

Black Lives Matter!

Black Lives Matter!