- The Kids Aren't Alright -

Viewers, take note. This has to be one of the few pieces I have made in my life that I am very, very proud of, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would PLEASE full view this to see the work that I put into it.

Upon listening to The Offspring Greatest Hits CD, I was really moved by a song on the album entitled The Kids Aren't Alright. The song tells the story of some promising children growing up to have bright futures who, as time passes, gradually lose everything they had and throw their lives away just to keep living. I had to let that sink in... This kind of thing happens everyday. It's so hard to believe but we can't deny it. One mistake leads to another, and that to another, and it just goes downhill from there. I wanted to create something that would let that be known. I wanted people to realize what could happen to them if they fail to apply themselves. My art teacher assigned to us our first project, and my decision was a value piece. Almost three weeks later, just one day before my 16th birthday, I at last completed the image. You're now looking at the result.

These kids in the picture were just as promising as the children in the song. They were all the best in their class, from their young genius minds in academics to their gifted bodies in athleticism. But when one thing goes wrong that somehow affects them all... Everything for them just becomes pointless. They've all lost the will to keep trying, and this is all they have left. A prostitute, a problem drinker, a pothead guitarist, a chain smoker, and a punk thief. Hope is lost for them, and they're all miserable. I urge to you all, please, don't become something like that.

Flaming skull logo © The Offspring
Characters and art © Zach Mansfield

EDIT Resized, darkened, added the title and my name to it to make it look a little cleaner and more complete.

Looking back from 2007...

It is exactly one year today from the day I posted this. I'd be insane if I Scrapped it. Naturally, it stays.