acrylic and watercolor; 14×11”
“My art piece is about women’s rights and the protection and empowerment of women. It relates to the first article of Human Rights: the right to Equality and depicts a woman being blanketed by a peacock to symbolize protection. In Greek mythology, peacocks have been used as a symbol of Hera, a Greek goddess and protector of women. The idea of being blanketed brings a sense of comfort and I wanted the viewer to feel that comfort when looking at my piece. The woman is wearing red to symbolize empowerment since allowing women to have a voice is crucial to not only women’s rights, but human rights, and this all over the world, not just in America.”
ARTIST BIO: Alyssa Shear Ree is a Grade 12 student at Butler Tech School of Art (SOA).
PROJECT: After learning about human rights in Mrs. Valerie Folz’ Government classes at Butler Tech School of the Arts, 45 high school students chose a human rights issue they wanted to research. Then in Mrs. Mary Catherine Ruby’s Visual Art + Design classes they visually communicated their voice through their art using symbolic imagery to represent the human rights issue they had selected.