TCI "Hercules' Daughter" Art

Most of the work I have done for Teachers' Curriculum Institute has been for their elementary social studies curriculum, including this artwork for a short story that is based on a real historical figure. I created this artwork to accompany text from a story called "Hercules' Daughter," which shows the reality of life for enslaved Africans in American history. There was a discussion on the team I belong to at TCI about how difficult it was to obtain an existing artwork for the story, so I offered to create original art. This artwork creates an emotional connection with the viewer, who sees the scene through the girl's eyes. Her stare creates a psychic line to her father, who is working hard in the field. The kinetic motion of his swing builds tension in the way that it is about to strike the rock. Then the viewers eye drifts to distant workers, all the way to the tree-lined horizon, which looms over their heads as both a symbol of oppression and distant freedom that lies ahead. It took 5 hours to complete.