Take my son Ryan's painting of the stars and stripes. He created it with a digital water color program but his magic touch allows the flag to come to life. I feel the heart beating, the sweat dripping. Country singer Van Zant croons "These Colors Don't Run," a statement of American courage.The colors in Ryan's flag aren't running away, but they are on the move. That's what makes this flag jump off the page as if it were alive. 

            Ryan says it's just his messy style. But to me it looks like the stars in this flag are starting to cry. Maybe they've heard the hateful shouts of protestors. The stripes are smudged with blood stains from all those who have died to keep this flag flying. A chaos of blue storms behind the flag. And yet the work is more star-spangled than ever. Strong, confident in spite of all it has been through.  

           Happy Fourth of July.