“Balance” by Amélie Costa, Ponaganset High School

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“Balance” by Amélie Costa, Ponaganset High School

For this artwork, I took a great amount of inspiration from history I have learned and real-world experiences. When I first found the document I used in this artwork, Act for sale of Indian Lands, (May 1771), I was inspired to make something that could convey the contrast and turmoil between Native Americans and American settlers. This was the basis for my idea of having a peaceful nature setting surrounded by a frame of houses, smoke, and lumber, drawn in red, and can come across as unnatural and encroaching onto the nature scene. The painting depicts a forest composed of different photos taken of the woods in Rhode Island, and was done in acrylic paint on illustration board. The small bunny within the nature scene is a Native symbol among various tribes in and outside of New England that represents good luck. I chose to add this to represent the fleeting luck of the Natives in this unfortunate period of history. I hope this piece inspires people to learn more about our state’s history and the history of the Native Americans so that they will not be forgotten.

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