Robbie Conal: The Statement of an Artist

“Taking a Pasting” was a low blow. It was bad enough to give front-page Calendar coverage to a couple of petty personal poster vendettas against Conal, hardly the stuff of valuable public discourse.

As a Planned Parenthood board member who sought Conal’s collaboration on the “Freedom From Choice” Supreme Court poster campaign, I am deeply respectful of, and grateful for, the power of his art to galvanize people’s involvement, especially the young people who need to take part in our political discourse.

The public should know the real Conal and the truth about the allegations your article left dangling about greed for money, publicity and sole credit for his work:

* About money . . . Conal is generous with his time and art. As just one example, he donated (for free) the “Freedom From Choice” image to Planned Parenthood along with the rights to a limited edition of lithographs that raised the money to fund the campaign.

* About publicity . . . of course Conal seeks publicity and works hard to get it, as did Planned Parenthood in its campaign with him, because the objective is to raise public awareness.

* About taking credit . . . I have never met anyone who is as fanatical as Conal about giving credit to others for their part in his work, from his wife to the photographer to the printing press technicians to the billboard painter.

As Conal says, “So many bad guys, so little time.” Don’t waste our time with unjustified attacks on good guys. Get the bad guys.

MARY-JANE WAGLE

Los Angeles