Liberty
Liberty, depicts the Statue of Liberty, representing the freedom and liberty of our country's heritage.
This is expressed in her style of Cubistic Extensionism, with its extension of lines from an object (the statue), many forming flat, partial cubistic-like shapes. Light radiates out from the statue giving the picture movement and energy. The golden color in the background represents light from the sun which forms segments of a rainbow.
A rainbow can have many meanings. The rainbow represents hope - hope for people to find their dreams, hope for a new life, a life of freedom from oppression. Hope also gives the feeling that one can succeed if one tries. Everyone needs hope to succeed - hope for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want or fear. This has been the dream of all who have come to our shores. Recently, a rainbow has been associated with all kinds of people, a melting pot, the mixture of peoples of the United States. In Irish lore, a pot of gold can be found at the end of the rainbow.
Many have felt that the United States offered everyone a chance to find his pot of gold. Notice that the golden flame in the torch is surrounded by golden colors. The yellow behind the statue represents the sun and could also represent the golden door as described on the statue from Emma Lazarus' poem, The New Colossus:
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free... I lift my lamp beside the golden door"
Rainbows can form a complete circle when seen from certain angles. A circle is the symbol of eternity or eternal hope - also a symbol of life. Liberty holds a tablet on which is spelled the Fourth of July, 1776 in Latin. Light radiates out from the tablet indicating the significance of this date. The fifty star flag also adds to the feeling of contemporary expression of our modern life. The statue of Liberty has much meaning for our country. A beacon of light for all who enter its harbors - hope for a better life for all who come, a life of opportunity and freedom.
This painting recently won a National 3rd Place award in the American Heritage Contest "Enhancing the Present: Contemporary Expressions of Our Heritage" with her painting, Liberty.