Greetings from Aurora, the "All America City"

With a few exceptions, I've tried to keep this an illustration blog, as opposed to a personal one; meant for keeping friends, family, art directors and people interested in my art or in illustration in general up to date on recent work. I've deliberately shied away from using it to post inane personal info, like the movie I just watched, or the really cool thing I did over the weekend. I really try to stick to posting new work, explaining it a little bit, and maybe giving some information on the publication or project it's for, and that's it (with a few exceptions where I am obviously posting from a very big soapbox). However, with the horrifying event that has taken place just a few miles from where I've lived most of my life, at a theater I've been to many times, next to the mall I grew up visiting, and which has seemingly affected everyone in this city, I can't post without mentioning it. To not speak about a tragedy that has touched people in my life, from family members that were in that theater at the time to friends that have lost someone they know, would just feel callous. Luckily, I don't personally know anyone that was killed, and to my knowledge anyone that was hurt. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one, and everyone who is still hoping that their loved ones in critical condition pull through. The victims are in my thoughts, and I wish all the survivors a speedy and full recovery from their injuries, physical and emotional. The area around the mall and theater has had it's problems for some time now (A man was shot and killed about a mile down the street from it a few days before this). And unfortunately shootings like this have become more and more frequent, all around the country. But as a neighbor expressed to me over the weekend, if one positive thing can come out of this, maybe it would be that we all treat each other just a little kinder. If we can act with just a little bit more compassion and civility to strangers. Being the cynic that I am, I replied that it might happen for a couple weeks, and then we'll all go back to "normal." Let's hope I'm wrong.