As the doctor once told me just prior to snapping on his rubber glove for my prostate exam, “You might feel some discomfort here, Doug.”
Bottom is current SD flag Top is proposed new flag
I’ve got a couple comments on the proposed new South Dakota state flag and they’re sure to displease two of my favorite people who I admire greatly; South Dakota Magazine publisher and State Representative, Bernie Hunhoff and the brilliant Spearfish artist, Dick Termes, who I recently blogged about here.
Bernie has introduced a bill which would replace the current flag with the one designed in 1989 by Mr. Termes. According to the Rapid City Journal, Bernie has the support of at least 80 others in the legislature but from comments I’ve been seeing on the interweb, it doesn’t have a big fan base among the masses; including me. My objection has nothing to do with legislators wasting their valuable time on the issue or what it might cost to make the change-over. I just don’t care for the look of it. Oh, I get the sunburst representing South Dakota, the sunshine state(which used to be our slogan until it was changed 20 years ago..perhaps after someone pointed out the absurdity of it after 60 days of continuous cloud cover and gloom that usually hang over us in March and April) plus It’s also Florida’s slogan and we certainly didn’t want to confuse tourists about where they were headed. At the center of the proposed new flag are a couple of different colored blue circles and an orange Native American medicine wheel..which, according to Bernie, fits with the effort to promote state unity. I’m afraid, though, that would have to be explained to everyone who saw it..which, I suppose, would be one way of getting the message across.
For the record, I agree that the current state flag is too busy and pretty boring but if it’s to be replaced, I’m not sure if a design that might have been just fine for one of Elvis’ jumpsuits, is the attention grabber its supporters are going for. It was conceived 23 years ago and today could be easily duplicated in five minutes by somebody with photoshop or a drawing download on their computer.
I respectfully suggest that Mr. Termes go back to his palate and come up with something less quilt-like and agenda inspired; more in keeping with his enormous talents. A design that simply represents what South Dakota has to offer. Maybe it doesn’t even have to be blue. Red is always a good attention-getter.
But what do I know from art? I’m just an old guy sittin’ here in the desert waiting for 4 O’clock to arrive so me and the misses can head down to Phil’s for the all you can eat earlybird special.