2,716
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Letter From Our Guest Editor (view source)
Revision as of 03:16, 16 February 2021
, 03:16, 16 February 2021no edit summary
__NOTOC__
==Article Transcript==
[[File:EF2020-3_Page_213_Page_07.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 195.]][[File:EF2020-3_Page_223_Page_08.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 20.]][[File:EF2020-3_Page_23.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 21.]][[File:EF2020-3_Page_24.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 226.]]
<pre>
“To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.”<br>
—James Baldwin (1924-1987)
</pre>
and rallying cry was three simple,
yet powerful words:
'''Black Lives Matter.'''
No one argues that systemic
racism and oppression isn’t an
incredibly complex issue; one
that can’t be fixed with catchy
taglines. However, somewhere
along the way, these necessary
discussions on police reform, calls
for accountability and demands
for sensible restructuring were
rebranded as “anti-police” and
worse, “anti-American.”
How did we get here? Let’s
consider one example, the 2017
“Unite the Right” march in Charlottesville.
As protestors and
counter protesters shouted at each
other, a motorist plowed his car
into a group of left-leaning counter-
protestors, injuring more than
30 people and killing a 32-year-old
activist named Heather Heyer.
Later President Trump would
publicly assert that “there were
very fine people, on both sides.”
Perhaps the President wasn’t
aware that there were as many as
17 different hate groups present
that day—Klansmen, actual Nazis
and more than a dozen other
fringe groups.
Or perhaps he just didn’t care.
Maybe Trump also wasn’t aware
that the number of hate groups
operating across America has risen
to a record high—1,020—according
to the Southern Poverty Law
Center in February of 2019. Incidentally,
that’s a 30% increase
roughly coinciding with Trump’s
presidential campaign and presidency
following three consecutive
years of decline under the Obama
administration.
He definitely doesn’t care
about that.
Fast forward to May 25, 2020 when
George Floyd, a 46-year-old black
man, was killed in Minneapolis
while being detained for allegedly
passing a counterfeit $20 bill.
Eyewitness cell phone video shows
a white police officer kneeling on
Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and
46 seconds while the prone, handcuffed
Floyd repeatedly cries, “I
can’t breathe” and “Please.”
I remember having a visceral reaction
when I saw the video. Teeth
clenched, chest tight, brow furled
with anger and frustration. Floyd
called for his momma while his life
drained away under the knee of a
police officer.
All for twenty bucks.
This wasn’t the first time I felt this
way. It was the same watching
videos of Sandra Bland. Eric Garner.
Elijah McClain.
I remember my heart breaking as
I watched the video of McClain
repeating Floyd’s final words:
''“I can’t breathe. I have my ID right
here. My name is Elijah McClain.
That’s my house. I was just going
home. I’m an introvert ... I’m just
different, that’s all…. I’m sorry. I’m
so sorry. I can’t breathe.”''
But heartbreak was replaced
with frustration and rage when,
despite clear evidence on video,
the evening news predictably
announced that the officers
involved would face no criminal
charges.
Even as I was working on finishing
my final piece for this issue another
video surfaced of a black man
assaulted by police. This time it was
Jacob Blake, who witnesses said
had been trying to break up a fight,
and who was then shot in the back
seven times at point blank range as
his three young sons watched.
What does it do to a kid to watch your
father gunned down in the street by
the very police who are supposed to
protect you?
As of our press date, Blake is paralyzed
from the waist down and it’s
unknown if it will be permanent. He
also suffered damage to his stomach,
kidney, and liver, with the wounds
requiring that most of his small intestines
and colon had to be removed. If
he ever walks again, it will be with a
colostomy bag.
Black and brown people are tired.
We are tired of being tired.
Before the
pandemic I was
making a very
good living doing
speed caricatures
for private parties,
weddings, and
college functions.
I wear black at
a lot of these
formal functions
and I am allowed
to venture into
social circles
and functions I
normally couldn’t
attend. I can’t
help but wonder what would happen
if someone mistakes me for a criminal—
or worse, calls the police just
because I am black and look suspicious.
What if the next video is of me
being detained, choked, and arrested
for being black in the wrong place at
the wrong time?
For the first time in my life, I am
considering getting training and
carrying a firearm for when I am traveling
to places like Indiana or Pennsylvania
because I don’t want to be the
next hashtag. Not without a fight.
I love doing caricature gigs. I get huge
satisfaction from connecting with
people and seeing their faces light up
from my work. It’s magical.
But it’s not worth dying for.
When this pandemic finally ends, I’ll
have to carefully consider if I want
to go to those parties and weddings
again. When clients start booking
again, I know I will have to do a much
more careful background check
before accepting any gigs. Googling
an address to find if the event location
lies in Democratic or Republican
territory. Intensive perusal of client
social media pages in search of MAGA
hat wearing photos, pro right-wing
election memes or banners declaring
“Blue Lives Matter.”
For me, these
symbols are a
clear and present
warning to people
of color akin to
the confederate
flag, or the “Back-
The-Blue” Punisher
skull; and that
warning is “Bigotry,
prejudice, or
violence is allowed
and encouraged
here. Proceed at
your own risk.”
Right now, today…
I wouldn’t.
'''Black Lives Matter.'''
Despite all the evidence to the
contrary, I continue to hold out hope
that someday this won’t still be a
point of conflict or deep division. It
will just be understood. Then, we can
all get back to drawing or sharing
conversation over a drink or two.
Maybe someday.
Clarence can be contacted at
CreativeDesignMind@protonmail.com
===The 411 on Our Guest Editor Clarence D. Meriweather===
'''What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you ever think you would be a caricature artist'''?<br>
I knew I wanted to be an artist since I
was a 7 or 8. I remember drawing my
father sitting on the couch. It was a
simple study but I remember asking
my momma about shadows and how
I could draw better. She always made
sure I had pencils, crayons and sketchbooks.
I also spent a lot of time in the art
section of the library.
'''So how and when did caricatures creep into your life?'''<br>
I think it crept into my life like any other
kid. I was in love with MAD Magazine
and the Usual Gang of Idiots. I used to
draw and copy the styles of Jack Davis,
John Severin, Mort Drucker, Sergio Aragones,
Al Jaffee and Don Martin. That
magazine was my classroom and they
were my teachers. I had no idea what
they were doing was exaggeration. I just
loved the art. I am a huge fan of Tom
Richmond too. He’s MAD too, just a few
generations down on the family tree.
'''If you could take a different path on the road to where you are now, what would it have been?'''<br>
I loved football as a kid. I had a growth
spurt one summer (4 inches and 30 lbs)
and had to make the decision to either
go to art school or regular high school to
play high school football.
I auditioned for the Cleveland School of
the Arts in the Summer of ´83 (I think)
and I also tried out for East Tech High
School Football. I think I woulda made
the team but I told the coach I was
going to be an artist. He immediately
yelled “Get the hell off of my field!” I
never looked back. Sometimes I wonder
what could’ve been, but I know I made
the correct decision.
'''And the road continues...where would you like to go?'''<br>
Well, COVID kinda has everything on
hold. I am just trying to stay healthy
and out of the way. Perhaps education?
I enjoy teaching art/graphic design very
much. I would love to inspire and teach
the next generation of designers of
color. Give inner-city kids like I was an
opportunity to learn to express themselves
and communicate through design.
'''What is your caricature background?'''<br>
I’m a Kaman’s Art Shoppes kid. I think
part of the rite of passage of being an
artist is working as a caricature artist
at an amusement park. You learn the
difference between art for art’s sake
and for commerce. I didn’t realize it
but those were some of the best times
of my life. I learned so much about
drawing, interacting with people, and
developing my aesthetic and style. I’ve
also made some lifetime friends and
colleagues.
In the last 5-7 years I have been doing
speed sketching with my homeboy Adam
Pate. He taught me how to take what I
knew about sketching, simplify it and do
it faster. What used to take me 3-5 min
for a black and white now takes me 1.5 - 2
min when I’m really cooking. It sharpens
your eye/hand skills. It’s also a laboratory
to try different ways of sketching. The
thing I think I miss most during this time
of COVID is drawing at live gigs and
interacting with the partygoers.
I am debating if I want to continue
drawing gigs in the current political
climate. I don’t believe it is safe for me
traveling in certain areas right now. I
hope it won’t always be like this. We’ll
see. I was never really interested in
drawing sketches electronically but
that’s where everything seems to be
heading so I’ll learn just to keep my
chops. I never want to lose my chops.
'''What else would you like people to know about you before we wrap up?'''<br>
Hmmm. I would like to learn how to draw
comic books or a graphic novel. I enjoy
telling stories and I have some ideas I
would like to bring to fruition.
I currently teach 2D Foundations at
University of Akron. That’s fun. I like my
students even though I am still finding my
footing as an instructor.
I love science fiction. I believe Star Wars
wasted a great character opportunity with
John Boyega’s character Finn. (Still ticked
about that.) I am a huge Sherlock Holmes
fan and Who-vian. I love the 4th and 11th
Doctor.
==See Also==
