Here we are, two weeks away from another election and it's hard to stay focused on art when the state of our nation is in balance.  Artists are like other small businesses with many of the same concerns; taxes, health care and all of those other hot topic issues.  The problem is, the nation has gone bat shit crazy!!!  Everybody's arguing, bullying and yelling.  What happened to the days of intelligent conversation, cordial discourse and compromise. 

A recent Gallop poll stated the approval rate of Congress is 21%.  My question is, "Who are these 21% and why do they think the people elected are actually doing a good job solving the real problems this country faces?"  The more I think about it, that 21% just isn't paying any attention.  Because if you pay attention, then you're mad, or at least concerned.  Not to make generalizations, but does that 21% even look or think about art and it's place in society?  Maybe they do, but most likely their influences are the posters at some big chain box store.  It has either been a systematic destruction or an apathetic demise, but America is under educated and over medicated.  Our schools' funds are contentiously cut, with arts and music topping the list; all the while, pharmaceutical companies make BILLIONS in profits. This relates to you, dear artist, because we live in this society together. 

Being an artist you get a choice.  As art is a reflection of society;  you get to choose where you point your mirror.        

Back in 2003, an artist friend of mine said, "You love politics and you love art, why don't you combine the two."  That was an "AH HAH" moment for me, and I never looked back.  Polictics are so much larger than who is running for what office.  Politics are the day to day effects of decisions that are made on our behalf, or detriment, however you choose to look at it.  I choose to point my mirror at these decisions and their effects on the individual.  The monumental task of the Note Cards on Society series explores the individual trying to make their way through our society. (Check out some of these prints on the Portfolio page of www.potterartstudio.com.)

The first print in this series is "First In Line."  Well, that line is the Unemployment Line.  Not really the line you want to be in at all, but so many of us find ourselves there.  This print is three by five feet, and very detailed, but my hope is the viewer will identify with the people in the line.  I tried to represent the melting pot that is America, and the commonality we all face.  Hopefully delivering to the viewer a sense of community and put a face to the almost nearly 10% of Americans drawing Unemployment. 

There is a print in the works that addresses the additional 15% of Americans who are under-employed and are having a very hard time making it.  But more to come on that later...

While the American experience is great with the infinite choices we have on everything, it takes an knowledgeable American to realize most of those choices are brought to you by Corporate America, even most of the people we elect to make decisions that effect our everyday life.