The best response to the insurrection was strong for its humility.
After the mob was escorted out of our House, with trash strewn about, a lone man in a blue suit, began to clean up. “When you see something you love that’s broken you want to fix it. I love the Capitol. I‘m honored to be there,” said Representative Andy Kim from New Jersey.
It “really broke my heart.”
When I first saw the pictures of Kim cleaning up, it reminded me of when I worked with my neighbors to paint over some of the graffiti in my neighborhood many years ago. People told me that it wouldn't make a difference, that the tags would be back in a day, but that's not what happened. If something looks well-maintained, and you clean up new vandalism right away, people tend to leave things alone.
When Kim saw the mess, he got right to it. “What else could I do?” And I like to think that his actions (along with a huge police presence) were a large part of why nothing else has happened since. You keep things looking orderly, you clean up the damage, and the vandals leave you alone.
This is a small painting with a lot of heart.
The work is 7" x 10" and it's a study that I may develop into a larger painting. I really think the looseness of the study fits nicely with the subject matter. It's a one-of-a-kind original signed on the back.
