It is political.

For Memorial Day 2022, I cannot wish you all a, "Have a Happy Memorial Day Weekend."

This year, we mourn for the victims of Uvalde.

For me, this tragedy is political on so many levels. And, as most of you know, I do not shy away from the political.
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I tried to paint a yellow peace rose from our garden this week in honor of the 21 lives lost in Uvalde. It was not a great painting, and I rubbed it off the canvas. Perhaps it was not a great painting, because I usually do not paint flowers, and the painting was not true to who I am as an artist.

So, I decided for me to honor the 21 beautiful souls lost to gun violence, I will paint portraits of each child and the teachers. It will take a while, but my next 21 paintings will be these portraits.

Tears come to my eyes as I prepare for the portraits and read the bios of each child. These paintings will not be for sale - maybe somehow I can donate them somewhere where the paintings can make a difference. Or somehow give them to the families of those lost. Or maybe when I have completed the portraits - I can send digital images of the portraits to all the Senators that accept blood money from the NRA or the law enforcement folks who took their time confronting a lunatic. I'm not sure. But, somehow, the portraits will be my personal commemoration to the memory of the 21 lost souls.

We do not have to remain silent, all of us, each citizen can make our voices heard.