Description I don't usually mix politics with painting, but some situations call for it. In the past week, the Russia army started the largest war in Europe since the end of WW2 with an unprovoked invasion of the independent democracy of Ukraine. This war is symbolized in this painting; the composition and colors are drawn from the Ukrainian flag, and the sunflowers - the national flower of Ukraine - stand in defiance of the storm. There's another message here as well; how hateful, grasping tyrants cannot enjoy even the simple beauty of nature, such as a storm passing over a field of flowers. All they can do is destroy and then wonder why they are still empty.Acrylic painting: 14' x 17'
Matthew Hannum Member Since July 2011 Artist Statement Greetings! My name is Matthew Hannum, and I've been painting acrylic landscapes for over a decade. I have also created digital science-fiction images over the years.
My artwork generally focuses on the forgotten corners of nature where we can all easily find ourselves – a winding road through a local forest, or a cloudscape above rolling hills. When adding human elements, I tend to keep them simple and straightforward as a reminder that mankind’s works are only temporary, even in the local environment. Much of my work is heavily influenced by the landscape of the eastern United States, with occasional trips out to the mountains of the west – this ties into my belief of painting what you know since it will come across as more genuine.