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The goal of this painting is to create a focal point on which we can place our national discourse on the subject of illegal immigration. This image is iconic. The background of this particular model is not known. This will be the only painting representing this issue for now. My agenda is to connect social issues to real people through portraiture and invite conversation.
Maybe the painting stirs up old memories? Do you remember when you first had an opinion about illegal immigration? What do you think most shaped your opinion? Do you know any illegal immigrants? Have you been hurt/helped by an illegal immigrant? What do you think you are most afraid of regarding this topic?
The French are still laughing: “Give us you tired… hungry…poor…” was our add-on. It was an act of arrogance designed to impress. Purely a political move. We also needed cheap labor and more people paying taxes!! But that labor entered legally, thank you. And that era has passed. There are laws not being applied which should be. Plain and simple.
Thank you so much for adding your voice to the conversation.
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed to me.”
- Emma Lazarus
Well, you can’t blame anyone for coming when we put out an invitation like that! Too bad we have homeless and people being treated like “wretched refuse” all over this country, ourselves! We can’t take care of our own and our own people are competing for jobs with ILLEGAL immigrants. Sorry, but that just isn’t fair, either.
We need to take a stand … I can’t justify hating the illegals but it’s sure as hell not fair to me either when I can’t get a job at all and I was born here. Where the hell am I supposed to go, Mexico?
We need to take down the sign. Dismantle the damn Statue of Liberty. Wake up, people? Do you really still think you are free? Look around at all the cameras and government interference on the street. It’s amazing to me people still manage to commit crimes anymore but we have more prisons than we need. Don’t worry, after they take more money than the average human being could ever hope to save for arresting you illegally … you’ll be stalked for life with a criminal record and not be allowed to work anywhere! Don’t worry about the fact that you never got your day in court because you didn’t have the money to fight the illegal arrest in the first place … ROFL!
It isn’t funny, folks.
We can’t afford any more illegal immigrants when homeless U.S. citizens are all over our streets. Why invite more people into this mess? If you want to help the immigration problem, send food to these nations and copies of the U.S. Constitution with a little advice: Make sure they set up governments that FOLLOW IT the next time and it really should work!
The U.S. is a great nation that is falling apart. Freedom is disappearing faster than you realize. Tell the immigrants to go home. Get on the streets and take in the people who were born here and don’t know Spanish. Seriously!
Hablo espanol tambien. Tengo una corazon muy grande. Ojala que toda la gente tenga una vida buena pero hay tantas personas en esta pais que necesita ayuda ahora. Lo siento, pero es la verdad. Si necesita ayuda tambien, regresa a su pais con nuestra idea … una CONSTITUTION … y un gobierno nuevo para su pais … su familia … sus vecinos.
Lo siento, pero es la verdad. Regresa a su casa. El EEUU es una mentira. Lo siento.
America has always had a group of people- immigrants- willing to do to all that we ourselves are unwilling to do. They are much closer to survival mode than we are; they buffer us so we do not have to feel.I honor them.
The painting is great, especially the way you did the colors in her skin. I definitely have conflicting feelings on the subject of illegal immigration because I feel everyone deserves a chance to have the “American Dream”, or just A dream. At the same time, how would our country be without their presence?
Beautiful painting. To be honest, I think their presence hurts our country.
Her eyes depict grave concern, sadness, rather foreboding. I see subtle happiness and hope in her full mouth. Overall I perceive confident character, pride, and faint regality, or perhaps wisdom. I do not see disappointment, but sluggish weariness. She is familiar. She is comfortable with herself. Her emotions and plight are reminiscent to all, embodied overwhelmingly in the immigrant, also known as the human spirit searching for liberty and better life.
What I see in this portrait is beauty, dignity and strength but, after all, disappointment. It seems that she expected more and was let down. But one hopes she isn’t down and out.
I think it’s often difficult to look at someone person-to-person (as we do in studying a portrait) and then continue to apply the negative generalities that are so prevalent. So please continue to create and display your portraits.
exhaustion – empowerment – hope
The intended ideals for which this country was originally created and thrived which have been forgotten today.