One morning, while driving to visit my husband at the nursing home, I noticed a huge crowd at the Civic Center. Cars had filled both parking lots and spilled over into adjacent fields and on to the streets. I looked at the marquee which read: “GUN SHOW.” I slowed down and noticed a man with a young boy, loading a long, wide package into their trunk. Was this an assault rifle? Did the little boy share in this experience with his dad of choosing such a weapon, and will they go on to shoot at targets together?
Will the image on the target be shaped like a man?
When I grew up in Alabama, my uncles had rifles and “went hunting.” My first cousin, Charlie Butch, and I had BB guns. We still tease him about shooting into his leather shoe “to see what would happen” and winding up with a BB shot lodged in his big toe. When he was older, he joined the National Rifle Association. I am sure the organization was very different then, when compared to what it has become today.
I realize how risky it is to talk about this “loaded” topic. However, in order to show my artwork, you have to understand where my mind and heart were coming from. The piece shown is about Sandy Hook, when 20 elementary age children were shot down by a young man with an assault rifle. If ever there was a time to do some legislation concerning these deadly weapons and related issues, such as background checks, this was the time; but it never happened! How could our political divisiveness lead us to an inability to feel for these parents – and to see what inaction might bring?
In this photo-collage assemblage, the innocent kindergarten child is symbolized by the little bunny rabbit, perhaps hopping along to school. I found the wax bunny candles in my studio, which I photographed and added, with one flame painted, and with others disappearing. I purchased plastic soldier dolls in order to use their accompanying assault rifles, as glued-on additions to the frame.
I can still look at this artwork and have tears come to my eyes.
Art with a Story 