Women of Courage by Anthony Cotton
Medium: Graphite on board
Size: 15 x 20 inches
Artist statement: ” ‘I used to not think or care about these things. Now I do’. The drawing is meant to be a snapshot of the courage women need to face every day in life. Included in the drawing are from left to right MJ Rodriguez, representing trans women and their struggles and successes, Havachách, a Maricopa woman representing Native American women and their struggles and successes, a Mursi woman from the Olmo Valley Region of Ethiopia. A visual representation of indigenous women in the world, black women in the struggle and successes of all women to keep their children safe.
What does all this have to do with your theme this year of “this is me “? Well prior to coming to prison I was part of the problem. Now I want to be part of the solution, including using my art to do so, which is something I learned in prison.”
Image description: An assemblage of portraits of women: MJ Rodriguez, Havachách, a Mursi woman holding a gun with a child wrapped to around back.