17 Beautiful portraits were created of the victims of the Parkland Shooting. Here is the letter written by the artist to express why she decided to make these portraits:
As some of you may already know, I live and work in Parkland, Florida, a small town that up until two weeks ago hardly any knew where it was. Sadly, that is no longer the case, and we are heartbroken and from what it seems, so is the rest of the country. Everyone here has a personal connection to what happened and although we are taking a front seat to the activism that will hopefully bring about the change that will make our children safe, there are still families that will never get to see their children and loved ones again. As an artist, mother of three, and Parkland community member, I am working to create portraits of all the victims to give to their families in hopes that it will be some comfort to them. As artists and art lovers, we know the power that art has, and it is my hope that by sharing these portraits, they can also serve as a vehicle to help others connect with 17 people and not look at them as a statistic. Thus far, I have completed 5 portraits and will continue until all 17 are completed, and I can give them to these grieving families. Many of you already follow my work on social media, but if you are interested in seeing all 17 as I paint them, you may follow me here. If you missed last night’s broadcast on NBC 6 South Florida news about this project, you may find it here. I know that if we are connected, we are like-minded and together we will work to bring the change we want to see in this world.
Sincerely, Nava Lundy |
