Art the Vote

November 3, 2022 @ 5:00 pm

Calling all art lovers to celebrate our creative community! On Thursday, November 3, at 5 p.m., we’re hosting Art the Vote, a gallery-style and community-oriented event at Lady Justice Brewing. Speak with local artists, have some food, and stick around for your chance to win artwork and swag. We'll also be displaying pieces submitted to our ACLU art competition.

We're honored to have Chloé Duplessis as our guest speaker for this event.

Chloé Duplessis creates images that illuminate the forgotten, elevate the unknown, and mindfully address the present. She seeks to erode the social constructs that oppress people of color and people who have disabilities. She is a legally blind artist, historian and culture bearer committed to creating work that centers equity, accessibility and healing.

Chloe’ recently designed the 2022 “I voted" sticker for the Denver Elections Division. Designed to promote inclusion and accessibility, it incorporates both braille and sign language.

Here are the submissions with the original captions from social media.

@Matador on Instagram “Vote. and get hands on. What voting means to me.”
@rabbitwanderpaint on Instagram "What if it really is happening here?" “This piece, an acrylic and sharpie painting on canvas, was originally attached to a wooden pole for picketing in 2020. I am submitting this piece to the ACLU of Colorado's 2022 "Call for Artists." Inspired by the early 20th century phrase, "It can't happen here," echoed in the media from then through today, 'it' meaning fascism here. But, in fact, it is clear that 'it' already is happening here, and casting your ballot by voting is your best weapon to defend our democracy against fascism. I will be voting against fascism. Until fascism is defeated here, this painting will be continually reborn as a protest picket, and I look forward to when I can retire this piece forever.”
@rainbowactive on Instagram “Recently voting seems like it is only meant to do damage control. Like a way to choose the lesser of two bad choices. Two choices that don’t care about me, my community, mid to income earners, the environment, or the betterment of the future. We vote with the hope of progress, and it’s disheartening to see regression and broken promises.”
@TrippyPatrickV on Instagram "The illusion of choice: until every voice is heard" “Voting is our way to participate in the democratic process. But the very process is an illusion of choice until we decide to both allow all to be heard...AND decide to change the way we count votes to reflect a more accurate societal intention.”
@Terpstogo96 on Instagram “This is my submission for @acluofcolorado artist call with the idea behind it being how we see voting. My medium was graphite, ink pen, and alcohol markers My current view on our voting system is that its always a great effort to be heard and get our ideas out there, but in the larger scheme of how law making and changes in societal structure occur in our state/country it is truly just putting out an opinion for consideration and will likely be disregarded for the bigger guy's benefit.”
@DianaDadkhahart on Twitter “Thank you to the ACLU chapter for giving us artists a chance to create creative designs for this upcoming November!”
@shecanread_ on Instagram “My identity makes voting complicated for me. As a queer Latinx person, half the time it feels like voting changes nothing. Other times it feels like the only way to maintain basic human rights. I feel most hopeful for local elections where what’s on the ballot is most tangible—access to food, affordable housing, and worker’s rights.”
@joeandzoegillespie on Instagram “Every election is important, but this one is vital to our democracy. It is through voting that we have the opportunity to equalize and empower all voices. But for those voices to be heard, we ALL must vote!”
@skywelkin on Twitter “My submission for @ACLUofColorado 2022 Artist Call: Options”