{"id":10550,"date":"2021-10-08T14:50:51","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T14:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/?p=10550"},"modified":"2021-10-08T17:39:52","modified_gmt":"2021-10-08T17:39:52","slug":"a-celebration-of-willie-b-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/a-celebration-of-willie-b-smith\/","title":{"rendered":"A Celebration of Willie B. Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"10550\" class=\"elementor elementor-10550\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-21495ab elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"79067\" data-id=\"21495ab\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c4915e4 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-eae-slider=\"19717\" data-id=\"c4915e4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48165eb sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48165eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<pre>by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runepainter.com\/\">Rune Marie Nielsen<\/a>, intro by Melonie McCoy<\/pre>\n<h6><em>\u201cMy favorite pie is sweet potato, and I remember how I used to lick the bowl. You (CPP) all constantly remind me that I\u2019m loved, that I\u2019m forgiven, that I am somebody. This type of love is like giving me the sweet potato bowl to lick\u2026 this type of compassion is like a mother\u2019s love.\u201d<\/em> Willie B. Smith III, who frequently exchanges heartfelt, insightful letters with volunteers, staff and especially volunteer Nora here at CPP, is scheduled to be executed on the 21st of this month.<\/h6>\n<h6>CPP volunteer and artist, Rune Marie Nielsen, recently captivated us by finding Willie\u2019s true light, kind heart and humble character within this beautiful portrait. As Rune explains, she wanted to capture Willie radiating the confidence and peace that CPP volunteers and staff see in him. CPP is working to help end the archaic practice of capital punishment which is rooted in slavery, class division and is historically an off-shoot of lynching.<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-669c25f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"12419\" data-id=\"669c25f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2839fce sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-eae-slider=\"49532\" data-id=\"2839fce\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-404538f sc_height_small sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"404538f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4f7867a sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4f7867a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.runepainter.com\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/20210929_154532-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-10528\" alt=\"Portrait of Willie. B Smith by artist, Rune Nielsen\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/20210929_154532-1.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/20210929_154532-1-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-376ccc2 sc_height_small sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"376ccc2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-20eb495d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"6158\" data-id=\"20eb495d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3d845b9b sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-eae-slider=\"25804\" data-id=\"3d845b9b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-467fdb2d sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"467fdb2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Painting a portrait is like having a conversation with that person, but without using words. You get to know them better with each layer of paint. The &#8216;conversation&#8217; begins with looking at their photo and finding emotions they express. Personality is shown in even the most simplest of portraits. Aspects such as how wide a person opens their mouth when they smile, if they are looking up at the viewer or away from the viewer, or even the arc of their eyebrows can convey a lot about them as a unique individual.<\/p><p>In Willie&#8217;s case, his posture and expression in the photo show a lot of sincerity, friendliness, and humility. He&#8217;s looking at the viewer in earnest, unafraid to show his genuine self. His smile is reserved a bit, showing perhaps a bit of shyness, but also kindness and caring, as though he wants to be friends with whomever he meets. In his photo, Willie&#8217;s eyes are partially closed and he&#8217;s stooped down a bit as he looks up at the viewer, which suggests a lot of humility but also some lack of confidence, which I see commonly in photos of people who care deeply about others at the expense of their own confidence. In the painting, I wanted to give Willie the confidence that we at CPP see in him. We are fully confident in his wonderful self, the Willie that deserves compassion and dignity. Therefore, in the painting his posture is more confident, being on a equal level with the viewer rather than hunched back, and his eyes are opened wider. This is the confident Willie we see in him, and we hope that he can see this confident Willie within himself.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-38528af sc_height_small sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"38528af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5197ddb sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5197ddb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.runepainter.com\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"755\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Willie-Smith-portrait-with-CPP-and-artist-tagline-lr.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-10540\" alt=\"Portrait of Willie. B Smith by artist, Rune Nielsen\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Willie-Smith-portrait-with-CPP-and-artist-tagline-lr.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Willie-Smith-portrait-with-CPP-and-artist-tagline-lr-600x814.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 755px) 100vw, 755px\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0f767d1 sc_height_small sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"0f767d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ddea1d sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ddea1d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I paint in acrylics, which require several layers for each painting. The first layers of a painting are always blurry because the paint is still thin and still acclimating to the canvas. These layers are like the soul that comes before the body. They are the steps of basic humanity, as something is appearing on canvas from darker tones to lighter ones (unlike some other forms of painting, acrylics are applied with darker tones first and lighter ones later). A person becomes more and more defined with each layer, revealing their uniqueness. When it is time to match a person&#8217;s features with their photo, there will always be some indicators that the painting is its own likeness. I emphasize expression in portraits, which means that sometimes I make eyes larger or lips less toned in order for the viewer to notice the expression first and foremost before noticing tiny details. Willie may not know me well, only having heard from me through a letter I sent him, but I feel like I have gotten to know Willie well through painting this portrait.<\/p><p>I could tell from Willie&#8217;s photo and the description of him that he was a person with so much light to give to this world. His light is something that radiates to others, so it felt natural to make the background of the painting a glowing yellow.<\/p><p>I wanted to paint Willie the way I do for every person I paint: as a dynamic and meaningful person of emotion who has so much to share with the world. I did not want to focus on the crimes he was tried for or his upcoming death sentence because those things do not define Willie. This portrait is a celebration of who he is, a person of love and life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1cda6c4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"33845\" data-id=\"1cda6c4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b191468 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-eae-slider=\"45817\" data-id=\"b191468\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b237498 sc_height_small sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"b237498\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b26bd01 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"83335\" data-id=\"b26bd01\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-785e067 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-eae-slider=\"57541\" data-id=\"785e067\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b455662 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"b455662\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/actionnetwork.org\/petitions\/stop-the-execution-of-willie-smith-in-alabama\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Sign the petition to Stop the Execution of Willie Smith in Alabama<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a80bae sc_height_tiny sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"6a80bae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c28ae52 sc_height_tiny sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"c28ae52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-72d8f29 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"43469\" data-id=\"72d8f29\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b081984 sc_layouts_column_icons_position_left\" data-eae-slider=\"87968\" data-id=\"b081984\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1073736 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1073736\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.runepainter.com\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"864\" src=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_20210923_114828_486.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-10541\" alt=\"Rune Marie Nielsen, Artist and CPP Compassion Ambassador\" srcset=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_20210923_114828_486.jpg 1389w, https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_20210923_114828_486-600x675.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d8bab0d sc_height_tiny sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d8bab0d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d70461 sc_fly_static elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6d70461\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For more information about Rune and her work, please visit her website at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.runepainter.com\/\"><strong>runepainter.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Rune Marie Nielsen, intro by Melonie McCoy \u201cMy favorite pie is sweet potato, and I remember how I used to lick the bowl. You (CPP) all constantly remind me that I\u2019m loved, that I\u2019m forgiven, that I am somebody. This type of love is like giving me the sweet potato bowl to lick\u2026 this type of compassion is like&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[83,87],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10550","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acts-of-kindness","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Celebration of Willie B. Smith - Compassion Prison Project<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/compassionprisonproject.org\/a-celebration-of-willie-b-smith\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Celebration of Willie B. Smith - Compassion Prison Project\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"by Rune Marie Nielsen, intro by Melonie McCoy \u201cMy favorite pie is sweet potato, and I remember how I used to lick the bowl. You (CPP) all constantly remind me that I\u2019m loved, that I\u2019m forgiven, that I am somebody. 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