Painting for Political Points: Several Artists Endorse Steve Madrone for 5th District Supervisor With Their Work

 

Artists Meig O'Brien and Andrew Daniel use their art to create political signs. [Photos provided by the Madrone for Supervisor campaign]

Artists Meig O’Brien and Andrew Daniel use their art to create political signs. [Photos provided by the Madrone for Supervisor campaign]

Press release from the Madrone for Supervisor Campaign:

While some paint landscapes, portraits, or abstracts, a dozen artists recently turned their creative juices to painting political art for the June Humboldt County election.

Joyce King, who said that her interest in organizing in the McKinleyville area dovetailed with her love for local art, figured she could change one annoying thing about elections – those ubiquitous plastic yard signs.

Instead, she envisioned signs that are temporary works of art.

Salmon decorate this sign supporting Madrone.

Salmon decorate this sign supporting Madrone.

King found a gaggle of artists who were more than willing to devote their skills and palettes to getting out the vote for their favorite candidate for supervisor with political paintings.

“Getting together with other engaged citizens to make these fun signs was so exciting,” said Andrew Daniel, who usually paints landscapes. “In an era where national politics can feel as though they are spiraling out of control, it is great to see that there is so much energy for change in a local level.”

“Art and politics share a deep hope that something new can be born from what currently exists. The initial vision is nearly blinding in intensity, then comes the long slog of choices given our limited resources and time constraints. The saying goes, ‘Art is 90% problem solving and 10% creativity.’ One could say the same about politics,” said Meighan O’Brien.

A colorful Madrone for supervisor sign.

A colorful Madrone for supervisor sign posted along a roadway.

“These art signs serve as beautiful and humble invitations to the community to enjoy and ponder what the scene as well as the candidate might signify,” she added. “Art and politics share an expression of values. In art, values refer to varying shades of color. In politics, values are the shades of agreement (and disagreement) we are constantly negotiating with each other, those feelings we hold most dear that color the way we view our world.”

The artists’ political work can be found in “temporary exhibits” along roadways from Willow Creek to Trinidad, said King. The exhibits will be dismantled after the June 5 election, she added.

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19 Comments
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I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago

I think this is pretty neat.

Denise Nyby
Guest
Denise Nyby
5 years ago

What a great idea! I will give theses political signs much more of my attention! They add beauty instead of distracting from it. Thanks!

Eric Eridani
Guest
Eric Eridani
5 years ago

Go Sungnome

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago

I support him.

Chaka brah
Guest
Chaka brah
5 years ago

Madrone Is [edit] a FOG(friend of grower) . Can we please get someone who isn’t a dope sympathizer

I like stars
Guest
I like stars
5 years ago
Reply to  Chaka brah

I think your choices are Madrone, Sundberg, or a write in of your choosing.

Eric Eridani
Guest
Eric Eridani
5 years ago
Reply to  Chaka brah

Amen.

jfornes
Guest
jfornes
5 years ago
Reply to  Chaka brah

sundberg has accepted extensive donations from large cannabis growers…madrone, by contrast, supports small farmers of any crop as these have been the backbone of local businesses for years, pumping their earnings of $50,000 plus into our local economy…compare this to the big growers that sundberg supports who spend their profits outside humboldt…
in any case, it’s one or the other…

Chaka brah
Guest
Chaka brah
5 years ago
Reply to  jfornes

So he only supports small time criminals? Not the ones who made it big?

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  Chaka brah

Where have u been the last 30 years? What makes politics run? $$ . Where’s the $$? Logging and fishing? Nope.

Westhaven Wabbit
Guest
Westhaven Wabbit
5 years ago
Reply to  Chaka brah

he’s not a commercial grower and never has been. Provide the evidence or shut up

Ezra
Guest
Ezra
5 years ago

Love it, Vote Madrone

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago

The enviromental friendliest supervisor keeping Arcata grass roots conscience community environmentaly and politically correct.

Yellow
Guest
Yellow
5 years ago

Steve Madrone the environmental preservation specialist working to preserve our precious natural resources for generations to come.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Yellow

So if your house has a grand canyon size pot hole in front of it, you’ll need to have EIR done by an environmental preservation specialist, submit it to the coastal commission, sell them on your mitigation project, then end up filling the hole yourself in the middle of night lest you get charged with an environmental violation because it’s already been 5 years and there seems no action in sight while the pothole is threatening to eat your house.

Being a supervisor that listens to his constituents and is ready to deal with their problems while balancing all the conflicting demands seems more useful in a county supervisor. What’s he going to do about the jail, the underfunded pension dilemma, the ROADS, the courts, the budget, etc? Other things beside direct environmental issues will be 99% of the job, so at least ask about it. Sheesh.

at a loss
Guest
at a loss
5 years ago
Reply to  Yellow

Right. Growers have done a fabulous job of preserving the environment. The hippies like Sungnome got us into this mess with their “weed is harmless” artistic thinking. If you value what’s around you vote for someone who has created jobs – not Sungnome or Moonbeam or whatever it might be in the next few.

Clive
Guest
Clive
5 years ago

I’d vote for Madrone if I was still in his district. I’d love to see Sundberg lose his appointment on the Coastal Commission. Gov. Brown sure messed up when he appointed pro-development Sundberg—not a good move if the mission of the Coastal Commission is to protect coastal resources.

Joan Dunning
Guest
Joan Dunning
5 years ago

Nice signs, Joyce! I was doubtful, but I see this is a success! Thanks for all of your hard work for the county!

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

I sat next to mr Madrone at the county roadshow for measure S funding a couple of years ago. He was advocating for a carrot not a stick for growers. He did not believe in any type of enforcement. In my mind, a vote
for him is a vote for the black market.