Lifting As We Climb

“Lifting as We Climb is a painting that was inspired by African American women in the Suffrage movement. Mary Church Terrell holds up the banner that bears the words “Lifting as We Climb,” which was the motto of the National Association of Colored Women. The theme of Alice in Wonderland was incorporated because of the whimsical characteristics of the painting. The symbolism found in the story align with issues that African American people have faced overtime and continue to face.

The winding staircase resembles a rabbit hole and represents the obstacles to receive the right to vote. In this painting the rabbit is holding a cell phone instead of the traditional pocket watch, making the connection to our modernized way of tracking time and recording events. The pocket watch is also found in the painting, it symbolizes the amount of time from the ratification of the 19th amendment to the voting act of 1963 and the recent election of the first female vice president of color. There are several other characters and references from the story in the painting.

The hope is that the viewers curiosity will be sparked to think about the political system on a deeper level. Like the themes in the story Alice in Wonderland the systems in our world can be interpreted further than face value. The goal is to highlight the many African American women and organizations who were instrumental in helping to bring about voting rights for women and their community service work. This painting serves as a motivation to research and learn.

This painting will be exhibited at the Living Arts and Science Center in Lexington, KY from January though March 2021.