They’d driven as far as a dollar of gas could take them. Now they waited. Waited under the merciless sun with hungry bellies and soiled clothing. They waited for news of work in the fields as promised on government handbills distributed just weeks prior. They waited for a time when they were migrants no longer. Waiting was all they could do.
As a mother, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been to raise a family under such dire conditions -- it certainly makes me appreciate the community, family, and home that I have today.
Part of my research for this painting involved tracking down the goods originally shipped in the cardboard box that Florence Owens Thompson sat on in Dorothea Lange's iconic Great Depression photograph, "Migrant Mother". Taking what little print I could see on the box, I finally tracked down this June 21, 1919 price list from Swift & Co. of their canned fish offerings (below). Don't you just love it?!
In case you missed it, here is the story of my first Dust Bowl Glimpses painting, "Taking the Mother Road". As always, thanks for stopping by. Cheers, Mandy
Congratulations Miss Mandy! So happy to see these pieces up in your shop. 'Taking the Mother Road' is my favorite, favorite. I also love 'Worldly Possessions'. Come to think of it..I just might revise my top two list. So at least for the moment those are my faves. Especially inviting too to learn of your motivation and steps in creating each one.
ReplyDeleteThank you Julie--your support means so much to me!! I'm delighted to find out which paintings you fancy. As for sharing the stories behind each, it's not so easy to put words to my creative process...but I'm doing my best. xo Mandy
ReplyDeleteI just love this series! So glad to have discovered you on Poppytalk today, thank you also for stopping by and commenting on Frida!
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