Peligro So?

Title: Peligro So? 

Medium: canvas, acrylic paint, discarded plastic sign picked up from my kid's FFA function last Saturday 

By: Clara G. Herera

Behind this piece: OK, full disclosure, this piece is about women, empowerment, specifically women of color. If you've read my blog, then you know I pick up random things that might be made into art. I don't know why I do this. It just happens. Last week, my youngest son had a function at school. I found some tape that said, "Peligro". I stuck it in the pocket of my coat. I totally thought it said, "peligroso" which means dangerous in Spanish.
I thought, whatever, the art will come. It will find me.
Today it found me while I was waiting to get a haircut.
A man, about my same age, berated the young woman who took in haircut data because he had put his name on the list online prior to showing up. He had to wait and didn't like it.
She seemed rattled. She seemed the same age of my oldest daughter -20 - and nobody said anything.They just sat there.
I sat there. I thought.
When I got up for my haircut when my name was called, I went to him warmly smiling. "Hi sir, do you have kids?" Yes, he said smiling. "Do you have daughters?" I said smiling. Yes, he said, equally smiling, why are you asking this? Then I said, "Would it be OK if someone spoke to your daughters just like you spoke to that young woman?" It was not pretty after that.
This interlude inspired this painting. So many people hear/see stuff and just ignore it or never say anything except for in privacy.

I used to be one of those people for many years. I am no longer that person.

This is worth staying up late on a school night.

Peligroso