Trump Trooper: NOT -Making America Great Again

Trump Trooper: NOT Making America Great Again, oil on canvas, 117 x 56 cm, ©Steve Lewis 2016

Looking down the barrel of a gun is the feeling we will have with Donald Trump as the next American president. This trooper flashing the “T” logo as a badge has been ordered to do the bidding of Trump in his efforts to "make America great again", but what consequence will this promise have for the world? We have already witnessed his sharp shooting words and verbal attacks on women, Mexicans, and Muslims during his campaign for the Republican candidacy. This image offers no hope of diplomacy. Having the Star Spangled Banner inverted as a symbol of distress and lying across the ground ironically charges this threatening propaganda. Ready for action, Trump’s trooper shamelessly stands upon the flag with complete disregard for which it stands, ignorant of the values that America is founded on. 

www.SteveLewisArt.com

©Steve Lewis 2016

Fearing Support: States of America

State of America III, oil on canvas, 60 x 40 cm, ©Steve Lewis 2016

State of America I, oil on canvas, 50 x 40 cm, ©Steve Lewis 2016

The United States election of 2016 has been hijacked by Donald Trump. His bigotry and shrewdness is hardly as terrifying as the support he has received from the American people. How he has managed to stay in the lead is frightening for many around the world. One only needs to tune in to a Republican debate to see the type of person he is and how dangerous he could be as a leader. His bullying tactics and disrespectful words have won the support of a public who is tired of the establishment and excited to see this non-political bombshell turn Washington upside down. Trump has tapped into key issues and self-proclaimed to be the only candidate capable of finding the solutions. His confidence and repetitive statements are cheered even when no real plans have been offered. Seeking approval by spreading hate and fear should repulse voters rather than attract them. Drudging up the worst in society is the most disgusting and horrifying aspect of this election. Trump has made this "us vs. them" mentality acceptable and to many correct. To "Make America Great Again," Trump is announcing who and what is to blame for making it so awful and igniting the voters' national pride, which runs dangerously deep and strong in all Americans whether they want to admit it or not, to get them on his side. An American society afraid of not being as great as it believes it should be is dangerous. One that is being fed messages which demonize others is terrifying. These paintings are visual reactions to Trump, his campaign, and the shock of his overwhelming and blind support. These ghosts lurking in the darkness or posing as in family portraits represent this fear for what may come.

www.SteveLewisArt.com

©Steve Lewis 2016

Trying to figure out the NOW!

Ever since starting this journey of rediscovering myself as an artist and writing this blog, I have been exploring the notion of NOW.  (Written large because it is important.)  I have been working on exploring what I want to say and how I want to say it.  The paintings allow me to indirectly communicate with an audience.  I feel I am beginning to establish the "how".  What I keep falling over is the "what".  Something feels genuine and current and important... worthy of my time and that of the audience, but what is the "what"?

About a year and a half ago I was getting ready to give a lesson about surrealism to a grade nine class.  I found a video called Modern Masters focusing on Dali.  While viewing it I learned, or was reminded, that Dali was a student that came upon surrealism and not inventing it.  He saw the work of Magritte and de Chirico, which inspired him to create surrealistic paintings.  Dali tapped into what was happening at the moment and became an important contributor of the movement.  This realization sent me searching of what was current.  What were contemporary artists generally working on?   Was there something beyond post-modernism?  What was the notion of NOW?

While searching the internet, I found articles on predicted movements called post post-modernism, hyper-modernism, pseudo-modernism, and meta-modernism, which often refer to social media and a return to romanticism.   Meta-modernism seems to have a large following and many are referring to this named movement.  I find myself wanting to understand the thoughts and theories that are being explained but am not quite convinced and confused.  Just yesterday I found a video from Nicole Salamone based on being a meta-modernist https://youtu.be/ZFngn03Okf0.  She seemed so sure that she was living and creating in this movement.  She conveyed issues that seemed to be familiar to how I think or feel about wanting to portray the NOW.  I was reminded of something that I saw a few months ago.  While watching a video interview with Bo Bartlet he said "we live in a magical world" when referring to taking the time to notice the of the present.  This is the case since I have been working on my art again.  I believe I need to start to document these small coincidences or by chance discoveries that seem to be moments that are strung together one after the next.  I need to listen to my own suggestions that are in my head as I research and even go about my daily business.  I am sure that there is something important to come but I will only get there by placing value on each of the steps along the way.

 

My Autoethnography - UNNNNNNNNNNN CUT, by Nicole Salamone, 2015

Updating my website: www.SteveLewisArt.com

I do not know how many people are checking out my site but I am happy to have it and feel it is important to keep it up to date.  Tonight I worked on adding the artist groups that I hold a membership.  I also added better photos of two paintings that were hanging in a show and one of "The Duel" which I just completed.

The Duel, oil on canvas, 75 x 160 cm, 2015

 The location is taken from Fortescue, NJ, not far from where I grew up.   The beach along the Delaware Bay was a mess after a storm and the green-heads were tearing my son and I up as we were trying to take a series of photos of the beach, houses, and the horseshoe crabs.

The plan was to set up a great deal of tension between the two figures, making the viewer contemplate what is happening and why.  Everything is quite ordinary... at least if you have seen houses on stilts and horse-shoe crabs before.  I also was excited with the idea of cropping the head of the person in the foreground.  I wanted to bring reference to those great westerns with the duel scenes.


I hope it comes across to the viewer.  It is something I would like to experiment  with further in future work.  Originally I had planned to have two gunmen by the car but was encouraged to play it down so the viewer would create the missing narrative.  I am so glad that I did. 

So let me know what you think about "The Duel" and check out my web site... www.SteveLewisArt.com

On Edge in progress

The Duel in progress

Jim's Lunch in progress