Is this really progress!

20" X24", Acrylic on canvas

This Painting is a dreamy vision of a "Sunset Swim" - The Wahine is safe, as she has 'someone' to watch over her. This painting is 20" X 24", Acrylic on Canvas and was inspired by the photographs below.


Big Yellow Taxi written 1966, Joni Mitchel; on her album "Ladies Of The Canyon," May 1970Covered by Bob Dylan, Columbia Recording Studios, New York, NY, Jun 4, 1970,

They paved paradise and put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to goThat you don't know what you've got til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot

They took all the trees and put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people a dollar and a half just to see 'em
Don't it always seem to goThat you don't know what you've got til it's gone
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot..........


Check out these pics of the relatively same view looking towards the incredible Diamond Head in Waikiki. The first 2 views are from the early 50's - the third pic, a recent pic, is taken just 50's years later.

This is what you would see today!




I'm all for progress and certainly enjoy new technology as well as societal growth, but....
The next time you see a field or meadow in your hometown being bulldozed for a new condo development, or a wooded area being cleared to locate a new super walmart, think about what your community is losing. The peace, beauty and solitude of your community is being forever changed! We are the lucky ones today, we still have the memories of what was. Think of your own grandchildren-
They will never see these beaches, back roads, pastures and forests as we remember. Our memories of sand, trees, rocks, birds and critters are just that- memories; future generations' memories will be of cement, grey paint, car horns, and construction sites. Is this really progress?

This is just a simple observation and of course my opinion. This observation doesn't even address the more important issues of overpopulation and the resulting issues of crime, the depletion of natural resources or the environmental impact of this urbanization! I find these pictures sad!