If you don’t feel some level of emotion in my work then I have failed as an artist. I use scratchboard as a fine art vehicle to evoke the full range of emotions in viewers. Many of my pieces capture the impacts of famine, genocide, and war. Several depict the most respected humanitarians and former leaders in the world. This piece, “Mother Teresa”, recognizes a woman who dedicated her life to working with the poorest of the poor. She exemplified the theme of inclusiveness as the founder of the Missionaries of Charity. When she received Vatican permission to establish this congregation, she described their work as, “care for the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the crippled, the blind, the lepers, all those people who feel unwanted, unloved, uncared for throughout society, people that have become a burden to the society and are shunned by everyone.”
Richard Sele is a member of the Arts4All Florida Artist Registry.