Liberty

We visited New York and gazed at Lady Liberty across the harbor. I was struck by how small she seemed.

It feels like an appropriate time to paint a story of someone still holding a torch up to freedom’s hand.

This old lady, who never seems to tire or age or falter under the weight of what she holds, has never looked more necessary.

One need be neither a pessimist nor a progressive to comprehend that, for all our flaws and faults, the spirit of Lady Liberty is real—and she still moves among us.

The Statue of Liberty, however small she may seem from a distance, still celebrates an idea so big that history can hardly contain it. She’s a story worth painting.

We will celebrate the Fourth of July this week. I’m grateful for history. For the hope of our future. And for Liberty, which I take for granted too often.

Lady Liberty, Let freedom ring.