"Savior"
20"x24"
acrylic on canvas

Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451" has ironically  been the subject of repeated banning attempts.  It's a book about a world without books - a world in which ideas are silenced and books are banned and burned.  Ray Bradbury has said that the 'dumbing down' of society was one of the concerns he was trying to raise.  

Dana Ellyn's painting, "Savior", is a self portrait of her protecting some of the most banned/challenged books from the match of Montag, the 'fireman'.  Montag stands still and Dana appears to lack urgency in her escape.  Readers learn as the book unfolds that Montag is himself one of the book-keepers (protector of the books).