Art That Makes You Think, The Aesthetics of Politics and Philosophy. Opening Reception September 1, 2008

Cosponsored by Apache Cafe and MachinePolitick.com
Featured Artist: Frances Byrd

We are excited to announce a show on the topics of politics and philosophy. This year is shaping up to be an interesting election already, so there's no better time to address the issues of government and politics.

Artist Bio: I was born and raised in St. Augustine, Florida. My formal art training consists of a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Savannah College of Art and Design. As long as I can remember, I have loved to draw and I cannot now imagine doing anything else but creating art. About a year before my son was born, I decided to combine my passion for politics with my passion and talents as an artist. I have succeeded in creating a body of work both visually and intellectually challenging. My web page is dedicated to the purpose of making my work available to anyone who is interested in my particular brand of propaganda. My work clearly reflects my thoughts and feelings on many topics. I spend a great deal of time doing research for each painting, and many include excerpts from my research.
Politically speaking, I am a Federalist. That simply means that I expect the government to do the job outlined by the Constitution and nothing else. People should be left to live their lives as they see fit without government interference. The only exception is to prevent people from harming others or restricting their freedom. The point of my work is not to change your mind, but to provide a point of view lacking in the art community. It should make you examine your own views, and your reasons for having them. It might even make you angry. I don’t expect everyone to share my point of view.
I have become disgusted with the current state of our government and this is my way of expressing my opinions. Each painting is accompanied by a description that covers the technical and aesthetic properties of the piece as well as the thoughts and inspiration behind their creation.

Artist Statement: My work is about the people and events that most affect our lives as individuals. It is meant to engage the viewer and make them examine our world and their own opinions. I am mainly interested in pointing out the control we allow others to exercise over our lives. At some point in the future, I will address people and subjects that I find inspirational.
Right now, I am most interested in the way news and propaganda are used to influence voters opinions and create concerns that mask more important issues. We are plagued with career politicians and activist judges, lobbyists, unions, activists, and celebrities. Voting has become dependant upon the amount of goodies the government is promising the masses rather than a way to put competent people in office who will do the best job they can to run the country. We are bombarded with scare tactics from all sides about what the other guy will take from us if we vote for him. Our government has begun to stagnate and my art is meant to address this issue as well as present solutions to the problem.
I believe in the strength and beauty of the human spirit and an individual’s ability to govern themselves. Life and freedom are not given to us by our government, we are born with them and it is our responsibility to maintain them. We are responsible for our own health, morality and support. It is not the government’s responsibility to care for us or help us when we make bad decisions. The government does not have the right to punish us for working hard by redistributing our wealth to others, for any reason. The Constitution clearly defines the role of government and the Bill of Right clearly defines the rights of the citizens. They are not living documents, subject to world opinion.
There are too many people who consider themselves to be morally superior to the rest of us. I hope my work begins to present a challenge to those people. I also hope that it will encourage others to fight back with their talents and stand up for their freedom.

Official Website: http://www.apachecafe.info