The symbol for anarchy - a capital "A" inside a circle - is painted in a chunky, textured yellow and takes up most of the space on the canvas. The slash in the "A" is made up of newspaper clippings about Antioch - "dilapidated housing, residents raise ruckus, no new jobs, traffic, and Mello-Roos." Inside the symbol are painted neutral-colored homes with roofs covered in red that wisp towards the sky.



This painting and other vibrant, thought-provoking pieces by Antioch artist Robert Rodriguez were displayed last week at the Beer Garden on Second Street along with his poems. His work was surrounded by comments written in permanent pen by admirers complimenting the artist's passion.

"I want to make people think about what they can do in their community," said Rodriguez, adding that keeping Antioch's hometown spirit is important to him. "I want to share it and not let it just sit in a box."

His pieces span the past 20 years of his life but haven't been shown before - this art show was his first.

Rodriguez was involved in a car accident years ago, and not long after the accident he lost his sister to another crash.

"It is like you are digging yourself out," said Rodriguez about his artwork.

"I liked the art when I saw only photographs of it. I came down here to see it in person, and it is even better," said Geoffrey Thomas. "I also like his idea to add comments on the board."

Another of Rodriguez's friends, Steven Falcon, was drawn to the personal pieces and felt there is not enough art like this in downtown Antioch.

"I feel pretty positive," said Rodriguez about the event. "I'm very enthusiastic about it and have received a lot of feedback."

The artist and the Beer Garden plan to hold more art shows in the future. For more information, call Robert Rodriguez at 755-1240.