Everyone thinks the flag is for...?

Santa Fe based artist L. Scooter Morris began a body of work in 2015 that used the imagery of the Amercian flag, the Confederate flag, and iconic symbols from the country’s culture to explore what she calls “the rising tide of social injustice and unrest”.

WE THE PEOPLE ARE CALLED TO ACTION

Her signature work "Sculpted Paintings"™, created and refined over 30 years, integrates color, light and texture with many surface variations and includes mixed media. She writes, “At first glance, you see an image, perhaps an iconic symbol, (the flag, hearts, stars, or other symbols) that seems familiar, but when you look closer the detail is revealed. Details that give meaning to those symbols and to the work as a whole. The flag paintings are a reflection of our country's need to find resolution and solve the problems that we are facing, now. I wrote this for a show in 2016:

“We the people, are the many, bound by love of country, hardened by the struggle, softened by the love, made determined by the need, and resolved to make our place in these United States. We the people are called upon as one of the many to join together with others although we are of different faiths, color and gender. We must find ourselves joined as one of the many, part of the whole, working together with tolerance, wisdom and hope to make our shared differences work for a united purpose.”

In the series of paintings, The Money Pieces, L. Scooter Morris combined landscape, the American flag and the US dollar.  She writes:

“The installation of currency lends itself immediately to serve as an iconic image that has an emotional connection to almost everyone while weaving itself into the painted surface of the painting. The meaning of the painting should equal the beauty of the work and one should not overwhelm the other or the elusive quality between what is on the canvas and how it makes you feel is lost.

“The money juxtaposed to the American flag refers to our current struggle with a constantly changing national identity and moral compass.”

When Money Rules

Guns and Money

As you can clearly see, anyone can walk into a gallery and say, “This flag is for me.”

Talent Talks! And I am blessed to represent my talented creatives whom I love. Stay tuned for the L. Scooter Morris Heart paintings. Love changes everything.