strong female figures and a bird in flight. Fly with the cage.

Today a painting of mine was inspired by recent events in Iran.

Fly With The Cage.

"If you can't fly out of the cage, just Fly with the Cage". Sufi Proverb.

My painting was started in 2006 and finished on June 3, 2009 in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Oxnard on the way to LA.

Over the years as an artist, I have become an active believer in the “do it yourself” approach; so therefore, I was very moved by the recent protests in Iran. It is good to see people power, especially peaceful people power.

To be honest, I am very tired of people with institutionalized or even military power dictating what and how things will be. I am even more tired of people using their interpretations of “what god wants” to control others, and that goes for every person who uses the concept of god to get their way. I know that all this is as old as the hills, but one can only take so much. (It’s okay, some of my best friends believe in god).

I mask my anger and frustration at the world by keeping a “happy go lucky” public attitude and painting fun, upbeat paintings like this one, the recently titled, Fly With The Cage. My hope is that less people will get killed and that we humans can work things out and be friendly to each other, because, given half a chance, that is the our true human nature.

This piece features what I always thought were strong female figures and a bird in flight, elements that I felt were relevant to this situation in Iran

Brad Nack, 2009