(36″ x 48″ oil on panel) During the long human struggle for existence, freedom has been rare, and its triumphs have fallen upon just the minorities that prevailed. No obstacle has been so constant throughout history. From the first gathering of ancient people to the modern political complexity of our time, the natural drive embedded in our genes for liberty is not always apparent. It is a momentous step in the progress of the principle that every interest should have the right and the means of asserting itself, and to commit to the republican principles of individual liberty and equality. Regardless of when, who, or where, lighting the torch of liberty comes from the fire that burns from within, and those with the relentless determination will ensure that the torch stays lit.