People With No Names: The Undocumented 120

These four oil on canvas (each 11" x 14") paintings are the four quadrants of an image of two undocumented roofers.  They function independently as abstractions.  It seems appropriate because the whole idea of 11 million undocumented immigrants in our country is a pretty abstract concept unless we get to know the people who are working among us.

People With No Names: The Undocumented #119

This 8" x 12" oil on board is an unfinished view of an undocumented immigrant building a fence,  in the United States, for a family.  There is an unfinished section of foliage "on his back" and as I looked at it, I realized that it reminded me of the "burden" on the back of the 'Pilgrim' in the story "Pilgrim's Progress".  What a relief it was for the pilgrim in the story, when his burden was rolled away.  What a relief it would be to 'roll away' (i.e. reform the immigration policies in our country) or remove the immigrants' daily fear of being 'found out', of being deported, of being separated from their loved ones and possibly never seeing them again.

People With No Names: The Undocumented #118

This is a little 8" x 12" oil on board portrait of an undocumented immigrant building a nice new fence for an American family.  The irony of a man who is legally "fenced out" of America, building a fence IN America is rich.  I heard recently that immigration is a problem if we don't know who we are...as a nation, as a people.  If we know who we are, we are secure, curious, and not defensive.