But, Why The Hate?

On a warm June day in 1964, I hitch-hiked from Cincinnati to New Orleans by car. I went through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi before I arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana. I had gotten rides with many different people, and I heard many different stories. The Civil Rights Movement in America was on the minds of some of the white people that picked me up on my way to New Orleans. It was, I found out later, a very dangerous time to be traveling through the deep south, especially if you were perceived as being there to work on for the Civil Rights Movement and voter registration of black people in those southern states. It was during that month of June, 1964, that three young men were murdered for working with the Civil Rights Movement and their bodies were buried by a bridge in Mississippi.

Today, it is 2012. Almost 48 years from when I graduated from college and decided to spend my summer working on a ship out of New Orleans. Much time has pasted since those days of the Civil Rights Movement. Much has changed in the deep south, and yet there is, in my opinion and that of others of a like mind, that racism is still very much with us today. I guess I am a bit naive to think that an African-American elected President of these United States in 2008, would not be subjected to such bigotry and hate. What does it matter what is his religion? Why do people persist in saying he is a Muslim if he says he is a Christian? I wonder what they would say if he were a Jew? Why do some people use such language as he is not legally our president? What is that all about? President Obama won the election by a wide margin and was sworn into office by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court! What sense does it make to call into question that he is legally our President?

People can have honest disagreement about how our country should be run. Honest disagreements about political philosophy. Honest disagreements about the role of the Federal Government in the 21st century. But, why the hate? That in my opinion, doesn't belong.

Saturday Is For Art: The Tabernacle Frame

I got back to work on The Tabernacle Frame this past week. The piece is not finished. Perhaps it needs to be distressed a bit? I have worked on aging the frame a bit, so now I will just let it sit for awhile and move on to something else. This piece which is made from wood and painted in acrylics is about 25" by 25".

The weather here today is nothing but ice. Ice is everywhere and while it may be pretty to look at, it is not pretty to drive or walk on. All we need now is a little sunshine to warm the air to melt the ice and I can get on with my day.

Have a safe and nice weekend.

Mother & Child with 2 Butterflies in Tabernacle Frame by F.D. Zigler, acrylics on wood, 2011-12.

Exploding Flag No. 1

This is a small piece made of wood and painted in acrylics. I think it is finished, but perhaps later I will make a few changes.

Exploding Flag by F.D. Zigler, acrylics on wood, 2011-12.

Saturday Is For Art: A Sunflower

Since it is so cold here today, I am posting a sunflower to remind me that in a few months spring will be here. With spring comes flowers and warmer weather. We just need to get through 3 months of cold weather and then we will be in the middle of April.

Have a safe and pleasant weekend.

This post is sponsored by the nice people at Ski Cincinnati apparel. Have you got your Ski Cincinnati hoodie yet?

This photo is slightly out of focus, but I like that as it gives a certain painterly appearance.

Saturday Is For Art: Exploding Flag in Progress- II

This painting is not finished. It needs more exploding. This has been a fun piece to work on and I might like to create a sister piece to go with it.

Have a safe and enjoyable weekend.

Exploding Flag by F. D. Zigler, acrylic on wood

Looking Back from 2012

2012 is going to be an interesting year for me and those of my friends and classmates that will turn 70 sometime during the year.

I don't recall much of 1942 as I was probably just trying to get to 1943 and put on a few pounds. I do remember 1952 as I was one of two kids in my fifth grade class at Bond Hill School that was for Stevenson for President. The other kid in my class that shared my hopes that Stevenson would be elected in November 1952 was Marcia Wagner. She was a very bright girl, so I knew I could not be totally wrong in my championing Stevenson. All the other kids liked Eisenhower. As one of the few 5-star Generals during WWII, Ike as he was known, was a popular hero.

In 1962, I turned 20 and started my junior year at the University of Cincinnati. My summer of 1962 was special in that I travelled to California for the first time and spent my summer in LA. I lived in Westwood just off the UCLA campus in a frat house that rented beds for a dollar a day. LA was definitely not Cincinnati, and I loved going to the beach in Santa Monica as I worked from 6pm to 2 am six nights a week as a busboy at a restaurant named Truman's on the corner of Wilshire and Westwood Blvds. One morning in August I went outside to read the newspaper with some of the guys that lived in the house and was told Marilyn Monroe was found dead.

At the end of my summer in LA, I hitched hiked back to Cincinnati to start my junior year at UC. Perhaps later I will write about 1972, 1982, 1992 and 2002. But for now, I have to jump forward into 2012 and get on with painting and selling my t-shirts.

Stay tuned.