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The Eyes of Abraham Lincoln  is a painting for the Eyes of American History series. In Lincoln’s face, the pain of the monumental ordeal is carved into every pore and wrinkle. His aversion to slavery came to him at an early age when he was leased to another farmer by his destitute father, and later, when he witnessed the barbarism of the slave trade while working along the Mississippi river. Although his primary goal was to keep the Union together, it had come to the point where the founding principles of the nation could no longer bear the stain of a corrupt system of bondage and servitude. It was left to him to bring to fruition a united country that lived up to the credo in the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths as self-evident that all men are created equal…”. The labor was more than most men had the strength and wisdom to bear. But Abraham Lincoln proved himself up to the trial and was martyred in the process. In this painting I use abstract markings to convey the turmoil that scarred him. Lincoln is one of my favorite subjects. His gravitas and compassion are great things for any artist to capture.

Here are some quotes attributed to Abraham Lincoln.

If we falter and lose out freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

I am rather inclined to silence, and if that is wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find a man who cannot.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

The people- the people- are the rightful masters of both congress and the courts- not to overthrow the Constitution, but rather to overthrow those who pervert it.

Anytime I hear a man talking in defense of slavery, I have a strong urge to sell it applied to him personally.