LIBERTY
Progress Pride Peace
Artist Name: Nadezhda Brennan
Artist Statement (transcribed from our video interview):
“I painted this peace sign with the LGBTQ flag in it because that was what my brain defaulted to after seeing the peace sign on [Randall Williams’ Statue of Liberty painting], which I found really fun and really cool...I also drew the little people because I liked the idea of having little shadows painting. It was a fun process of seeing other people's work and then getting inspired by it and then just going with the flow of painting outside!”
Fun Fact: The Progress Pride flag featured in Nadezhda’s painting was designed in 2018 by Daniel Quasar. It includes the original Pride Flag’s rainbow stripes as well as black and brown stripes to represent queer and trans people of color, and the baby blue, pale pink and white stripes of the Trans Flag.
Haunted House
Artist Name: Semele Blue Dietzman
Artist Statement:
“I tried to add as much hauntedness as I could, so I obviously needed a Gravestone and a Beware and a Danger Zone. I wanted as much hauntedness as possible because it looks cooler that way. And the sky is obviously green when you come to a street of haunted houses. I know ghosts are white but I literally don’t like to leave anything white.”
About the artist (in her own words):
"Hi, I’m Semele. I’m 9 years old. I like Dada, and I like my dog Toby. I like my computer and Nintendo Switch, and I absolutely love Minecraft: best game on planet Earth. I like art sometimes. Recently I have been doing chemistry."
Liberty
Artist Name: Randall Williams
Artist Statement: “The inspiration for the piece "Liberty and Peace" is from one of my favorite ‘70s artists Peter Max. These are things our country always needs.”
About the Artist: Randall Williams has a Bachelor of Arts from Western Illinois University. He came to L.A. in 1980 and started working for LACMA. He then went on to work in stained glass, portraiture, Italian street painting in Santa Barbara, and became the art director of Elson Alexandre. Randall also participates in all major chalk festivals, is the spokesman for Pasadena Chalk Festival, and teaches painting at Burbank Adult School. You can see some of his current work on display at the Studio Avalon Del Mar Station in Pasadena.
Artist Website: http://www.randallwilliamsart.com/art_gallery.htm
Thank you to Light Bringer project for connecting us with Randall!
