We Built This! III

Original Painting: Mix Media on Wood Board Image Size: 48”x48”x1/2” The Third installment of my We Built This! Series Like the two previous images, this one is created on wood and the largest of the series at 48x48x1/2. On the top and bottom of the image are 6 black flat nails that are a half inch off the image surface. They represent the nails used to pound into the wood and metal while making the railroads across America. These 7 men in this image were all labor workers (rented enslave men, or prisoners of the state) that never saw a penny for all their labor. Within the piece you will find train and track patents, also Black inventors of many railroad inventions (like Lewis Lattimer who invented Train Restrooms or Elijah McCoy who invented the lubricating oil cup that allowed railroad steam engines to be lubricated without stopping the train, saving time and money. History of the Pullman Porters and images of real laborers collaged. I also collaged Stars and Stripes to make up the tracks along with real pieces of wood. Many of the workers have their clothes, overalls and hats collaged into the image.