graphite; 20×16″ 
“Did you know the child support system has been corrupt and two-sided, since the date 1975 when it was enforced? Most of the time the father is punished either way even with full custody, there is normally no financial support from anyone besides themselves. In my art piece, you see a man facing off into the distance as if hoping for something or some would say looking into the better days. My idea behind this was to create my father figure as a vision for every parent who’s gone through this and make him as if he were younger before it all happened. The big symbolism in this piece was the words of voice but not only that if you pay attention in the left-hand corner there is a barbed wire spiral representing the pain of being trapped no matter where you go. I want to tell my story and my father’s and how strong of a man he was, raising two daughters knowing he’d have to accept that we’d never have a mother beside us. The justice system has always been unfair no matter the subject matter, I just want the people who struggle to know you aren’t alone.”
ARTIST BIO: Kaydence MCKINNEY is a grade 12 student at Butler Tech School of Art studying art under art teacher Mary Catherine Ruby.