Breaking Political Barriers 2020/2021

First, Not Last: Portraits Celebrating Those Who Broke Political Barriers in 2020 and 2021

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Adeoye "Oye" Owolewa — America’s First Nigerian-American Representative

Adeoye "Oye" Owolewa is America’s First Nigerian-American Representative. Oye represents the District of Columbia.

I made this portrait in 2022 from non-recyclable trash on canvas. It measures 11 X 7.75 inches.

Ana Irma Rivera Lassén — First Black, Openly Lesbian in the Puerto Rican Senate

This portrait celebrates Ana Irma Rivera Lassén's groundbreaking rise to the Puerto Rican Senate by a Black lesbian. It is crafted from non-recyclable trash and repurposed materials sewn onto a campaign lawn sign. Through the innovative use of materials such as buttons, braiding, food wrappers, plastic bags, and fabric, The artwork captures the complexity of Lassén's identity and the challenges she has overcome.

Moreover, the use of trash in the artwork carries a more profound significance, symbolizing the societal prejudices and discrimination faced by individuals like Lassén. Through her ascent to the Puerto Rican Senate, Lassén defied the expectations imposed upon her, rising from the metaphorical "trash" to occupy a position of influence and authority.

Overall, this portrait not only celebrates Ana Irma Rivera Lassén's groundbreaking representation but also serves as a powerful commentary on identity, resilience, and political power. Through its innovative use of materials and symbolism, the artwork pays homage to Lassén's journey while challenging viewers to reconsider their perceptions of marginalized communities and the power of representation to effect change.

Avril Haines — First Women Director of National Intelligence

During the Obama Administration, Ms. Haines served as the first woman Deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Never one to fit neatly into traditional women's roles, Haines worked as an auto mechanic while earning her BA in physics at the University of Chicago.

I made this portrait in 2021 of non-recyclable trash on canvas. The artwork measures 10.25 x 8.5 inches.

Becca Balint - Vermont's First Woman and First Openly Gay Senate President

This portrait is a one-of-a-kind assemblage. I made it of non-recyclable trash on canvas board and an upcycled frame. The artwork measures 10 x 8 inches.

Windham County, Vermont's voters elected Becca Balint to the state Senate in 2015. In 2021, she was elected Senate president pro tem. She is the first woman and first openly gay person to serve as Vermont Senate President. This portrait is an example of turning trash into a celebration. For many years of Balint's life, and even still by some, being a lesbian was considered an aberration. In 2021, Balint held the highest position in the Vermont Senate. In 2022, she was the first woman from Vermont elected to the US House of Representatives.

Beverly H. Burks, First Black and First Woman Mayor of Clarkston, GA

A federal judge swore in Ms. Burks as mayor on November 30, 2020 — her birthday.

The artwork measures 20 x 16 inches. I made it in 2021.

Brenda Mallory -- First African American to Chair the Council on Environmental Quality

Brenda Mallory was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 14, 2021, and sworn in as the 12th Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). She is the first African American to serve in this position. As Chair, she advises the President on environmental and natural resources policies that improve, preserve, and protect public health and the environment for America’s communities. She focuses on addressing the environmental justice, and climate change challenges the nation faces while advancing opportunities for job growth and economic development. Mallory was raised in Waterbury, Connecticut, where she experienced environmental injustice firsthand.

I made this portrait in 2021. It measures 10.35 X 8.75 inches.

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Cecilia Rouse — First African American to Chair the Council of Economic Advisors

When President Biden nominated Rouse, he called her "one of the most distinguished economists in the country; an expert on labor economics, race, poverty, and education." The Senate voted 95 to 4 to confirm her to lead the Council of Economic Advisors (CEA).

This portrait honors Rouse for standing up to the discrimination, harassment, exclusion, and hostility women often face in her field.

It measures 8.25 X 11.25 inches.

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure — First Black Woman Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Med

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure is the first Black woman confirmed to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Brooks-LaSure helped build the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and helped convert the law into policy at CMS and its umbrella agency, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

I made this portrait in 2022. It measures 6 X 6 inches.

Christina Haswood — First Navajo Elected to Kansas House

This artwork tells the inspiring story of Christina Haswood, the first Navajo elected to the Kansas House. It powerfully reflects her journey and the challenges she has overcome. I used a diverse group of non-traditional materials to create this work, which serves as a metaphor for her resilience and the complexities of her experiences.
The fragments of a dish towel, with their practical use, are a testament to the practicality and resourcefulness she brings to her work as a public servant. The foam, adorned with glitter, adds a touch of sparkle to the artwork, symbolizing hope, ambition, and the dreams she ignites in others. The pool noodle, a buoyant material, represents her ability to rise above challenges. Stapled plastic food wrappers and other non-recyclable trash form a gritty texture, underscoring the obstacles and systemic barriers she has confronted and seeks to address in her advocacy. These materials highlight the more significant issues Christina Haswood is working to overcome. These disparate materials create a visually striking and conceptually rich representation of Christina Haswood's groundbreaking achievement and ongoing commitment to serving her constituents and advocating for change.

I created this artwork in 2023. It measures 9 X 5 inches.

Christopher Benjamin — First Muslim American Elected to Any State Office in Florida

I made this portrait in 2023 from non-recyclable trash on board. It measures 9 X 5 inches.

Selinsgrove, Christopher Kalcich, Transman, art from trash

Christopher Kalcich — First Transman elected to the Selinsgrove, PA City Council

In 2020, the US voting public put about a dozen transfeminine people into public office while electing only one transmasculine person. That person is Christopher Kalcich, who is pictured here. I made this portrait out of non-recyclable trash as an honorific to Chris for standing up for who he is rather than allowing society to regulate him to the garbage heap.

I made this portrait in 2022. It measures 12 X 10 inches.

Chuck Sams, III — First Indigenous Person to Head the National Park Service

This artwork is a portrait of Chuck Sams, III, created from non-recyclable trash and other reused materials. It features a vibrant composition with red, black, and brown tones, incorporating textured elements like ribbons, fabric, buttons, and food wrappers.

Notable details include hair made of black duct tape and facial features crafted from packaging and buttons. The background combines greenish fabric with plastic strips, enhancing its layered nature. This piece celebrates Indigenous leadership and highlights environmental themes, honoring Chuck Sams, III, the first Indigenous leader of the National Park Service.

Cori Bush (D-MO) — First Black Woman Elected to Congress from Missouri

In addition to serving Missouri as one of its representatives to congress, Ms. Bush is a nurse, activist, and clergy.

I made this artwork in 2021 from non-recyclable trash on canvas. The artwork measures 20 x 16 inches.

Cynthia Lummis (R) — First Woman U.S. Senator from Wyoming

This portrait is a one-of-a-kind assemblage made from non-recyclable trash on canvas board and an upcycled frame. The artwork measures 10 x 8 inches.

Daniella Levine Cava — First Woman Mayor of Miami

Proud wife, mom, and abuela of two. Mayor of Miami-Dade County. Non-Partisan. First woman and first person of Jewish descent to be mayor of Miami.

Women have been considered second-class citizens and relegated to the trash heap for too long. I am raising women through my art by making garbage into something beautiful.

I made this portrait out of non-recyclable trash and repurposed materials. It measures 13 X 10.5 inches. I made it in 2022.

Deanne Criswell — First Woman Director of FEMA

This portrait titled 'Deanne Criswell — First Woman Director of FEMA' is a one-of-a-kind assemblage. I made it of non-recyclable trash on board. The artwork measures 13.5 x 8.5 inches. It is signed and dated on the back in pen. It is gallery-wrapped and ready to hang. I made this artwork in 2022.

Deb Haaland — First Indigenous Person to Lead the Department of Agriculture

This portrait is a one-of-a-kind assemblage. The former New Mexico Representative is the first Native American to lead a Cabinet department and the first to head the federal agency that has wielded influence over the nation's tribes for nearly two centuries.

I made this portrait in 2021 of non-recyclable trash on canvas. The artwork measures 20 x 16 inches.

Dega Dhalac — First Black and Muslim City Council Member in South Portland, ME

Dega Dhalac — First African-Born Woman Mayor In the United States

Dega Dhalac is the first African-born female mayor in the United States. Before becoming mayor of South Portland, ME, she was the first Black and Muslim city council member. She was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. She fled Somalia in 1990. Before moving to the United States, she lived in Italy, England, and Canada.

I made this artwork in 2022. It measures 6 X 6 inches.

Eddie Mannis — Along with Torrey Harris, First Openly LGBTQ Elected to Tennessee State Legislature

Esther Agbaje — First Nigerian-American Elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives

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Holly Mitchell wins. L.A. Board of Supervisors is All-Female for the First Time

For the first time in its history, the L.A. Board of Supervisors became all-female due to Holly Mitchell's win in 2020. Previously, Ms. Mitchell was a Senator in the state of California. I made this one-of-a-kind assemblage to honor the political inroads made by African Americans, Asian Americans, Indigenous people, other people of color, LBGTQ+, trans people, and women.

I made this portrait in 2021. It is gallery-wrapped and ready to hang. It measures 10.25 X 8.25 inches.

Iman Jodeh — First Muslim Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives

I made this portrait in 2023 from non-recyclable trash on board. It measures 9 X 5 inches.

Janet Yellen — First Woman Treasury Secretary

Janet Yellen is the first woman treasury secretary, and she is the first woman to chair the federal reserve. Yellen has been confirmed to various positions by the senate five times.

I created this assemblage in 2022. It measures 6 x 6 inches.