01
The elephant & the donkey
The two major parties, facing off. The paint bleeds down the canvas — yet their look is sorrow, not hatred.
State of
the Union
Two canvases by visual artist and ceramicist Amalia Wills. One bleeding flag.
Cover art · “State Of The Union”Amalia Wills · @casthegreater
Jeffrey Scot Wills on the cover
Maybe I’m biased, but these paintings could not be a more perfect visual representation of how I see the social fabric of the USA right now — or of what I intended this record to sound like.
While the elephant and donkey — the two major political parties — are facing off, the paint is bleeding to the bottom of the canvas. But they seem to be looking at each other with sorrow more than animosity.
Over the canvases Jeffrey overlaid a scan of images from the dollar bill that add to the depth of meaning.
E Pluribus
Unum.
From many, one. The symbols hidden beneath the paint.
02
The bald eagle
From the reverse of the dollar bill and the Great Seal of the United States. Holding an olive branch and arrows — a symbol of both peace and the power of the nation.
03
The shield
Unsupported — representing the nation’s reliance on its own virtue, not foreign aid. Its 13 stripes stand for the original 13 colonies.
04
Thirteen stars
Above the eagle, the 13 stars symbolize the new nation’s birth.
05
In God We Trust
And most importantly. Written across the center of the whole piece, where the four panels meet.
“A watchful eye must be kept on ourselves lest while we are building ideal monuments of Renown and Bliss here we neglect to have our names enrolled in the Annals of Heaven.”James Madison · 4th President of the United States
The back cover
Twelve songs.
Two epilogues.
All songs written and performed by Jeffrey Scot Wills. Cover paintings “State Of The Union” by Amalia Wills — find more of her work on Instagram at @casthegreater.