THUGS NEED LOVE TOO by Doug Jones

I painted this during quarantine. Everything seemed like a glitch in the system. The way media began sharing more stories related to police brutality specifically targeted at black and brown people, the way smiles and eye contact among neighbors and strangers began to mean so much, the smell of fresh air, the forced recognition of our homes as sanctuaries, etc. I began by painting the glitch in the background. I then painted this subject on top of the glitch. She is unphased by the glitch and its system at first glance. A closer look recognizes her confident gaze back at you, and her body language as she looks somewhere both inside and outside for a greater sense of safety. She's drawn back as much as a person can be. Gloves. A mask. A hoodie. Comfort. Clothing represents what we choose to present to the world and what we cover ourselves with. She's covered in a hoodie that reads the word, "Empathy."

Doug is an artist and designer in Detroit. He works across media. You can find his innovative public work throughout the region, including the Ancestor|Posterity Native Plant Butterfly Garden designed in collaboration with the Virginia Park community and Brother Lightheart. Jones' solo gallery work explores themes related to representation, culture, technology, time, layers, patterns, the grid, and narrative.