My focus in this picture is the part of the eye called the iris. Every single iris of each person is unique—different from every other one.

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In the iris that I created for this piece of art, I have pictures and reminders of Austin. This reminds us of the need for creativity in Austin; the need of every unique individual to create one body. We need creativity in Austin, as does every city, but to have that creativity we need individuals. We remember Austin, not for one thing, but for many individual things, like the bats under the bridge, the random guitars and cows around town, yarn-bombing, ACL, the Broken Spoke...

To have all of this, we need creative individuals, because Austin is not remembered for a general item, it is a bunch of items created by a bunch of people, individually, unique. That is what identifies Austin.

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Like our fingerprints, our irises are a unique part of ourselves that helps identify who we are. That is why need to embrace Austin's creative side, because, if we do not embrace individuality, we do not embrace Austin, the people of Austin, the arts in Austin. We need to set the example by embracing individual creativity. Austin identifies itself with its creative people, and all the traditions and new activities that exist throughout our community. We should embrace Austin for the unique people who live here.