“Run Lolo Run reflects the personal story of overcoming obstacles as described to me by Oakley Olympic athlete Lolo Jones. This painting illuminates Lolo’s own visual metaphors for perceived barriers both on and off the track. It begins at the starting block, where Lolo draws mental focus with a linear analysis of technical details such as the angle of her legs and the position of her arms. Then as she bursts from the starting block and the temperature of the stadium rises, she imagines herself as the eye of the storm, a calm center where she can only see the first and the last hurdle. All hurdles in between are forgotten in the swirl of energy and emotion surrounding her. She sees herself from a bird’s eye view, leaping over physical and mental barriers, as if being pulled by a rope through the storm to the finish line. A green Iowa landscape from the athlete’s childhood sets the background of circulating winds encompassing her defeats and her triumphs. Lolo describes each challenge as a building block, a brick in the foundation of her inspiration. Reflecting upon the HURDLES she conquers every race and throughout her life, I am moved by her humility, compassion, and respect for the triumphs of others. In my own work, I try to challenge both the limits of my medium and the perceived capacity of the body. Lolo Jones to me is a superhero tackling obstacles and showing us all what it means to live completely and unconventionally BEYOND REASON.” - Sarah Olson