Marcus Pierce has invested the last 15 years of his life to being a painter. His work focuses on humanity, connection, beauty, pain, the golden ratio, and paradox. He chooses to do art because of its respectful form of expression. People can either engage or choose to ignore it. He does not like forcing ideas upon people. To him, art is about sharing with others what in life makes him pause, either because it inspires, amuses, or disturbs him. His integrity can best be defined by the answer to the question, “What is the point of doing art if it doesn’t say anything?

This last Tuesday on July 4th Marcus Pierce appeared as a feature artist for the Idaho Stateman Chalk Art Festival 2012. I accompanied as production artist/lover.

I shouldn’t have been surprised but Marcus’s dressed down is the same as his dressed up, Kentfield Debonaire button-up shirt (thrift store), slacks (thrift store), dress shoes (thrift store), and a drivers/newsboy hat (gift). My outfit made me look like an everyday outdoorsy girl. Truthfully this is how I dress when I am sleep deprived. Marcus and I stayed up until 4 am preparing for the event.

It took from 7:00 am to 4 pm to complete this drawing of two little girls with a sparkler. The process was strategically done to reveal little by little. First he put down his pounce pattern, a technique used by professional muralist and sign artists, to transfer the line art. Then he detailed the little girls’ faces while I filled in the pattern of the dress and blocked in the type. Marcus waited till the end to add the sparkler and the flames.

It was entertaining and interesting to listen to people’s comments throughout the day.

Kids and adults: “What is the little boy handing to the girl?”

Little boy: “Be careful . . . . that’s funny.”

Kids and adults: “What are the little girls doing?”

Adults: “What are you saying? Can you tell me what it means?”

Two women: “What does it mean? Can we guess? Is it about two lesbians?”

Kids and adults: “Is ‘Be careful.’ mean don’t walk on the chalk?”

The majority: “Their faces are so beautiful. This is really beautiful.”

Moms and grandmas: “This is a very good message.”

Just a few teens and adults: “‘Be careful?’ There is something fishy about that?”

The biggest thing I observed was how people didn’t seem practiced in reading visual communication. People missed the two dresses and thought one of girls was a boy. I didn’t expect people to think “Be careful” was a message about not walking on the chalk. I thought the labor it took to execute the font would communicate intent and purpose. We could have just printed out a sign.

Once the sparkler and the flames were drawn in people were more quiet. Here is what they said.

Woman: “This is really horrifying.”

Teen boy: “That is creepy.”

Woman: “That is disturbing.”

Some people: “That is really beautiful. Well done.”

It is too bad that art is not considered as important as math and science in school. Art teaches people to be aware and to analyze and question the meaning of information presented to them. Information and images used and not used is strategic. In advertising and politics, words and images are used to quickly make people experience an emotion. By not being aware of how choice images and messages emotionally affect people, we are easier to manipulate.

You can see Marcus Pierce’s art at the Enso Gallery July 27th.

marcuspierce.com