When my work is like a steakhouse dinner…
My portrait of City Commissioner Randy Leonard seems to be making news like no other of my paintings. The latest is from Steve Law’s article in the Portland Tribune today which describes what Leonard’s critics call his questionable spending of leftover campaign funds. Most of the expenses involve steaks and more money than I spend on food in a month, but my name tops the list of purveyors of carbonized beef. Leonard spent more on the portrait than on any of his dinners.
Leonard with his portrait last year at City Hall’s Keep Portland Weird
I won’t defend Leonard’s dining habits since it could easily be argued that no one needs to plunk down that much money on one meal, but I do take exception to Janice Thompson, as the director of Democracy Reform Oregon, saying: “I’m hard-pressed to see how buying artwork with campaign funds can be considered either a valid campaign or officeholder expense, especially given that city officials are provided office budgets.” Shouldn’t Leonard get a little credit for investing in the arts?
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CATEGORIES: - Philosophy - On portraiture -
