This painting won “Honorable Mention” in one of my first art shows at the Arts Council in Elizabeth City, NC. I was excited just to enter the show, and absolutely thrilled to win a ribbon!

This house is located across the road from my house. It is owned by some of the offspring of the original owners. Everyone who lived back here was related in some way. My late husband, one of the land owners/ heirs would spend hours looking over the land. He would get very emotional while telling the history behind it… how his great great grandparents worked the farm during slavery, and were blessed to buy all of it when they were freed.

While talking with a family member (whose parents built this house) about the way things were back then, once again, using my imagination, I started to paint. A fitting name came to mind, “THEN.” The judge at the art show liked the name. His encouragement was a big inspiration to me. I was entering a new phase in my life, one that allowed me to express myself.