I finished a new spread for Joy today. It came together yesterday while thinking about the history of the United States and reflecting on what it means to be an American, a human; and about how the ideas and feelings that seem to divide are exactly the hard conversations that could bring people together.

Honestly, I was, am, really stunned by how many people agreed to give a louder voice to a man that models so much hate. I don’t understand how people can disregard blatant racism, sexism, and violence against another human being. Believing that one person can be better than another for any reason isn’t what builds community, much less a nation. Does the ability of millions of people to ignore such ideals speak to fear, reactions of fear, or to something else I am not conscious of? Things can feel hopeless when we don’t feel heard or acknowledged… It’s how the vote was shaped. The irony is that that same feeling is felt by both “sides” - The inability to embrace people as people IS what is dividing the world. It makes it hard to discuss things when we feel like we have to stand up for just being ourselves. I wonder where this will all lead us and for how long. I am trying to feel hope rather than fear. And so, deep in this feeling, the page spread below took shape.

In searching these pages for hope I found this Haiku:

Originally I chose to collage two photos from the Great depression, one from John Vachon and one by Ben Shahn. It is interesting to note how many of the photographers of the time used their lens to open up social change and to work towards racial equality. I found that the work Shahn holds the stories playing out in the world again. It feels sad… 80 years later, the relevancy.

Ben Shahn’s work strangely lead me to the painting of George Frederic Watts, “Hope”. I love that he took a very religious interpretation of Hope and reflected a more current (late 1800s current) philosophy of the idea. “Watts set out to reimagine the depiction of Hope in a society in which economic decline and environmental deterioration were increasingly leading people to question the notion of progress.” (I feel like I heard this sentiment over and over about the 2024 election!)

In terms of making this spread, I felt like I was being lead to an idea as Watts’ concept for hope was also based on a long period of depression (during the late 1800s) just like Shahn’s work of the 30s and 40s, and how I was feeling about the present day interpretation of the economy, social changes, and the ideas of hope.

“Where to next?” I wondered.

I stared at Watts’ “Hope”. Hmmm. What did Alan Watts have to say about hope again?? Oh yeah, “Hope is for suckers.” Then I fell down that rabbit hole

Did I use any of the imagery I planned to use? No.

Do I still feel hopeful? Yes, I do. I guess that makes me a sucker.