January 2009

posted: January 20, 2009

For many years, the idea of what America is seemed frozen. There was a strange admiration for America in the 1950's. I never understood this pining for yesterday. In the 1950's many in this country believed in racial superiority and wanted women in their place. As child of the mid 60's and early 70's, I became aware of racial tension through the media and sadly, the kids around me. Deep mistrust and disconnection between people of different races was a given. Still, children hope for better and struggle to understand why all people couldn't be judged by the content of their character. America has worked hard to mend itself in it's brief history and that's what I take away from an historic day like today. Our country will always need mending and that's not the job of Barack Obama. This election is about who America is and that we can improve who we are.

posted: January 15, 2009

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to do the cover of Ms. Magazine.  Wonderful people to work with.  The AD was very helpful throughout which is not always what an illustrator has to deal with.
The concept was born out of a meeting Feminist Majority Foundation chairwoman Peg Yorkin and Ms. had with Obama, in which the President-Elect purportedly told them: “I am a feminist.” According to Ms., Obama “ran on the strongest platform for women’s rights of any major party in American history.”
Despite that, the cover is receiving some heat by those who object to the magazine showing a man as a superhero to save the day.  This one is beyond me, but in the CNN piece they say that the magazine has seen subscriptions rise since it came out.
I know we are in the middle of a bad economy at the moment but Obama has been a illustration blessing to not only me but most of us.
I just saw a great special issue Time cover of Obama by Chris Payne.
 

posted: January 14, 2009

My students know that on my bag that I carry to class I have a digital timer that has been counting down the days until George Bush will leave the White House.  It was always depressing to look at as it seemed to be stuck on the 500's forever.
I see that Bush was in the White House so long that the battery on that reminder device died before he left.  
I think I can see the end just ahead without it.
The Village Voice called and asked me to paint a portrait of Bush just after I did the Rolling Stone cover.  I didn't tell them for whom or what I painted, only that I could not just do a portrait of him.
It was suggested that I try illustrating him with his bags and boxes all around him ready to move.  I thought I liked the idea of him boarding Air Force One.  There are some great lonely shots of Bush on the tarmac leaving the plane and others with him ascending.  
The idea of him alone going up and meekly waving was the winner.
As my Irish grandfather, John O'Brien used to say,
"Here's your hat, what's your hurry?"
 

The Bush years -- then and now

From NBC's Mark Murray
With President Bush set to leave the White House less than two weeks from now, here's a "Then and Now" to show what the United States looked like when Bush was entering office and what it looks like now as he's leaving. The "Then" is the best-available figure as Bush was taking office in 2001. The "Now" is the most recent figure.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Then: 4.2% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2001)
Now: 6.7% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 2008)

DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE
Then: 10,587 (close of Friday, Jan. 19, 2001)
Now: 9,015 (close of Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009)

BUSH FAVORABILITY RATING
Then: 50% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 31% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

CHENEY FAVORABILITY RATING
Then: 49% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 21% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

CONGRESS APPROVAL RATING
Then: 48% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 21% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

SATISFIED WITH THE NATION'S DIRECTION
Then: 45% (1/01 NBC/WSJ poll)
Now: 26% (12/08 NBC/WSJ poll)

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE (1985=100)
Then: 115.7 (Conference Board, January 2001)
Now: 38.0, which is an all-time low (Conference Board, December 2008)

FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY
Then: 6.4 million (Census numbers for 2000)
Now: 7.6 million (Census numbers for 2007 -- most recent numbers available)

AMERICANS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE
Then: 39.8 million (Census numbers for 2000)
Now: 45.7 million (Census numbers for 2007 -- most recent available)

U.S. BUDGET
Then: +236.2 billion (2000, Congressional Budget Office)
Now: -$1.2 trillion (projected figure for 2009, Congressional Budget Office)

posted: January 7, 2009

 As my year was winding down and in between Barack Obama paintings I was thrilled to be asked to paint outgoing disaster president George W. Bush for Rolling Stone.  The job was a full page interior originally.Matt Taibi was writing a piece on W and It was believed to be a hard look at this lamest of ducks.
  http://www.rollingstone.com/issue1070
I did sketches and kept making him older and angrier to fit the article we thought was coming in.  The final was completed, but the article arrived and was a bit different.  Bush came off more pathetic and defeated.  I was asked to do another piece and that it was up for a cover.  I worked like mad on this piece and think it's a fitting final kick in the pants to a president who seemed to do almost everything wrong.  I suppose his fight against AIDS in Africa is his only noteworthy achievement.
It was a thrill to work on this before it was slated for the cover and just the best way to finish the year when I knew it was on the cover.
I see it's out today.
Happy New Year.  Happy New administration.

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