"Don't Comfort Baby With Materialism" - Lithograph

This print is the first in my series on materialism. Materialism seems to be driving our country today. Ads are everywhere - buy this, buy that. People aren't happy unless they have a shiny new car, a cell phone that can do everything for you, or the newest gaming system. We teach it to our kids when they're young. It's a vicious cycle. It isn't always so extreme, but we are all victims of being bound to our material items.

This print shows a baby crying because it has just broken it's rattle. It is getting toys thrust at it from every direction to try to solve the problem instead of actually comforting the baby. The baby is just upset. It isn't thinking "I broke my toy and I need a new one", but that is what people are teaching it to think. The mobile shows what kind of materialism will affect it in the future: money, a car, and a cell phone.

I was really influenced by Sue Coe from the blog. Her prints are so dark, and very detailed. I'm usually very detailed in my prints, but she goes so much further. She also gets her point across very clearly in each print, and you don't necessarily need the title to understand what she is saying.

Being exposed to all these different social artists through the blog is very beneficial. I think it is always good to look at other artists who are doing/did the same kind of art you are doing. you can get inspired, pick up new techniques, or see how they might have solved a problem you are having.