Art For the People Series
To my fans. To my supporters. I could not be where I am today without your support. xo <3
My Art for the People Series came to life of June 5, 2020. Living amongst the times of global uncertainty during a deadly pandemic under a volatile and chaotic presidency.
As many of you know (or maybe none of you know), I have not taken an art class since middle school. My favorite subject in school was history. Something about timelines, sequence of events and numbers have always resonated with me. Facts and numbers. History and math. If you asked me to draw something even 10 years ago, I would tell you I couldn’t even draw a stick figure. I’m not kidding. I suck at drawing. I suck at art. But I am a feeler. An empath. I am emotional and I have been through some things. It’s a calling. The universe nags me and often times I paint things that I don’t understand. I have no idea where this came from, but I need to do it.
This is my calling. Art combined with social justice. Giving those a voice who do not have one. Some days, visions just pop in my head and I am told You need to do this. After the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, I had to do something. I could not sit still. The universe called to me to take action. To make a difference with my art. To combine history with art. With math and statistics. To make aware of my own privilege to help those who have been on the back burner of society.
I began this series on June 5th. I did a few additional paintings, but began to feel lost with it. Summer began, and I felt just so unmotivated. Lost. I didn’t know where to pick back up. Fast forward to a hot shower on a Saturday morning in October, and I received my "Aha ” moment. 2020 was just so terrible for so many people. It was such a blur. The election was coming up. I have honestly related the past 4 years to a specific time in history: medieval times. backwards times. We had made so much progress as a society. I have never cared about politics. Until now. Until it affected my personal life. We lost so much progress under this presidency. I never thought it was possible to go back in time. But it is so possible. And it is happening.
I wanted to do something, start a project that would make a difference in the new year. In 2021. We are not free until we are all equal. In my hot shower in October, I knew what I needed to do. To create 12 unique paintings. Create faces (stencils) to represent characters of social justice. Read, reread and reread your magazines from the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s. Understand the culture and headlines. Take headlines out of context and relate them to today. Create a story and bridge the past and the present. We have made progress. But progress can easily be lost. So easily. Let your audience know this. I am trying to do the same.
2021. This is a new year. I need to create art. 12 pieces specifically. This is a transformational year. We need to not only be reminded of where we have been but where we are going. We need a reminder each month of how important equality is. Kasia, create this. Okay. Between early October and early November, I created an additional 8 pieces, finishing my 12 piece series of titled Art for the People. Kasia, create a calendar. Okay.
Within 4 short weeks, I created the additional 8 paintings to complete my Art for the People Series. Creating art is a beautiful but such an intimate process. It is so private to me. I feel so naked. I feel so vulnerable and exposed. But I need to do it. And here I am.
Beginning Friday, November 20th, my very private and intimate Art for the People Calendars for Social Justice will be available for sale. Please note that 20% of the profits will be donated towards a local, nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote social justice and to create equality. Those who purchase these calendars will not only be supporting causes for social justice, but will be essentially receiving 12 prints from my original and intimate series. I have poured my heart and soul into these 12 paintings. I hope these works of art move you. I hope they disturb you and encourage you to start your own revolutions.
To my audience: Always, always think for yourselves. Questions authority. And use your moral compass.
To purchase an original Art for the People 2021 wall calendar and to support me as an artist, please click my Etsy shop link below!
