this piece I specifically created because a friend of mine asked if I would come up with a LGBT Abstract art piece to go into the Louder Art Show being held in Provo, Utah where a new LGBT Resource Center for families and teens was being renovated about a half a block south of the renovated Provo, Utah LDS Temple. I had indicated to my friend Steven Buhler that I had committed seven paintings for that show already but I would ask Lindsay Butrum if they had more room. So I hate the cold in Utah in January so I figured it was time to bolt for the desert where I have my permanent home and try warming up to which I found we had loads of rain and cool weather but not negative temperatures like -9 degrees Fahrenheit. I remember Ken Newman in Bountiful whom I lived with and helped in his art gallery and Antique and fine furnishings business talking about reverse glass paintings and realized that I had about six or seven pieces of glass at home up in a cupboard and thought I would give it a whirl. I started the first one and it was so fascinating but realized this was so different than what I was used to. After half way I decided this first one wasn't going right so I took the second piece and made adjustments and wow, I was hooked. I proceeded to do all pieces except for one which my angel in Indio asked if she could do one and I said yes, so I gave her the last piece of glass and I will help her sometime in 2017 because she is recovering from a broken hand and foot. Back to this piece, there is a goldfish, a jester and and pink skinned man in a blue suit and well they are all upside down because they all feel out of place in this world. This is the way that every LGBT person feels Growing up. They think something is wrong with them, they get picked on and called names. They endure hatred from those around. They are told they are sick, they have a disease. Many are religious, Catholics, Latter-day Saints, Jewish and in every religion and in ever state in America and every country in the world. They are told that if they just pray or serve a mission if they are LDS, fast (no meals in a 24 hour period), serve others, accept a church calling, make a pact with God, that if they will just do these things they will be cured. So many try one, two, three or all of these and pretty much the majority (probably close to 98 percent) fail. One asks why? The answer, because they are born this way. And yet religious folks (generally speaking) hate anyone that's LGBT. Is this Christlike? In my opinion, a resounding no. We are required to love all people including our enemies and this is so easy to say but difficult to implement. We are required to forgive every person, again so easy to say but hard to implement. So this is what this painting about. I finished the painting except for figuring out how to hang it and I had it sealed the back yet either. I contacted Lindsay and she loved it and was excited to see it when I returned to Utah. However I also started a 24" x 36" on canvas titled "Encircle ofLoce" but she said there might not be enough room. So I showed up late, on Saturday rather than Friday as I was delayed with car repairs. I was stunned to see such a massive turnout and people buying the pieces hung in the Victorian home recently renovated. I couldn't get the wrapping off mine and handed it to Lindsay and she finally got it opened and placed it upstairs where people were painting on board panels to remain hung in the resource Center as a reminder of people that care and love anyone that is LGBT just as Christ taught. It didn't take long and a nice lady wanted to purchase the piece and they didn't know the price and they hunted me down and I had just driven in and unpacked my vehicle in wee hours of the morning in -12 degrees and I think my brain was frozen as I couldn't remember. Luckily Kindsay kept my text message. The other problem was it wasn't ready to hang and off I went to Home Depot and Michaels to obtain what I needed to get this so she could hang it. In Provo on. Saturday late afternoon with traffic and lines and no help at Michaels when I returned to Encircle, she had paid for the piece but had to leave. It took me until late Sunday night to get the pieces of wood painted black and to glue each piece one at a time as I only had one clamp and then put the d rings and wire in and then mount that to the back side hoping not to put such pressure on to break the thin piece of glass. Today, Monday January 30th at around 5:30a, I checked it and all is well. I'm excited to get the piece down to Provo today and give it to the person who purchased it.
this piece I specifically created because a friend of mine asked if I would come up with a LGBT Abstract art piece to go into the Louder Art Show being held in Provo, Utah where a new LGBT Resource Center for families and teens was being renovated about a half a block south of the renovated Provo, Utah LDS Temple. I had indicated to my friend Steven Buhler that I had committed seven paintings for that show already but I would ask Lindsay Butrum if they had more room. So I hate the cold in Utah in January so I figured it was time to bolt for the desert where I have my permanent home and try warming up to which I found we had loads of rain and cool weather but not negative temperatures like -9 degrees Fahrenheit. I remember Ken Newman in Bountiful whom I lived with and helped in his art gallery and Antique and fine furnishings business talking about reverse glass paintings and realized that I had about six or seven pieces of glass at home up in a cupboard and thought I would give it a whirl. I started the first one and it was so fascinating but realized this was so different than what I was used to. After half way I decided this first one wasn't going right so I took the second piece and made adjustments and wow, I was hooked. I proceeded to do all pieces except for one which my angel in Indio asked if she could do one and I said yes, so I gave her the last piece of glass and I will help her sometime in 2017 because she is recovering from a broken hand and foot. Back to this piece, there is a goldfish, a jester and and pink skinned man in a blue suit and well they are all upside down because they all feel out of place in this world. This is the way that every LGBT person feels Growing up. They think something is wrong with them, they get picked on and called names. They endure hatred from those around. They are told they are sick, they have a disease. Many are religious, Catholics, Latter-day Saints, Jewish and in every religion and in ever state in America and every country in the world. They are told that if they just pray or serve a mission if they are LDS, fast (no meals in a 24 hour period), serve others, accept a church calling, make a pact with God, that if they will just do these things they will be cured. So many try one, two, three or all of these and pretty much the majority (probably close to 98 percent) fail. One asks why? The answer, because they are born this way. And yet religious folks (generally speaking) hate anyone that's LGBT. Is this Christlike? In my opinion, a resounding no. We are required to love all people including our enemies and this is so easy to say but difficult to implement. We are required to forgive every person, again so easy to say but hard to implement. So this is what this painting about. I finished the painting except for figuring out how to hang it and I had it sealed the back yet either. I contacted Lindsay and she loved it and was excited to see it when I returned to Utah. However I also started a 24" x 36" on canvas titled "Encircle ofLoce" but she said there might not be enough room. So I showed up late, on Saturday rather than Friday as I was delayed with car repairs. I was stunned to see such a massive turnout and people buying the pieces hung in the Victorian home recently renovated. I couldn't get the wrapping off mine and handed it to Lindsay and she finally got it opened and placed it upstairs where people were painting on board panels to remain hung in the resource Center as a reminder of people that care and love anyone that is LGBT just as Christ taught. It didn't take long and a nice lady wanted to purchase the piece and they didn't know the price and they hunted me down and I had just driven in and unpacked my vehicle in wee hours of the morning in -12 degrees and I think my brain was frozen as I couldn't remember. Luckily Kindsay kept my text message. The other problem was it wasn't ready to hang and off I went to Home Depot and Michaels to obtain what I needed to get this so she could hang it. In Provo on. Saturday late afternoon with traffic and lines and no help at Michaels when I returned to Encircle, she had paid for the piece but had to leave. It took me until late Sunday night to get the pieces of wood painted black and to glue each piece one at a time as I only had one clamp and then put the d rings and wire in and then mount that to the back side hoping not to put such pressure on to break the thin piece of glass. Today, Monday January 30th at around 5:30a, I checked it and all is well. I'm excited to get the piece down to Provo today and give it to the person who purchased it.