First Light of Freedom: Juneteenth Gathering (Original)

When I painted this piece, I imagined a moment long overdue—African American women gathering, cloaked in ceremony and light, celebrating the very first Juneteenth. I saw them as carriers of memory, of children, of liberation itself. Some held babies close to their breast like ancestral offerings to a future no longer shackled. Their clothes, radiant with colorful hues, were not just festive—they were declarations of survival, beauty, and agency. The elongated forms, luminous green auras, and simplified features were intentional, inviting the viewer to witness not individual portraits, but a collective spirit rising.

The indigo woods themselves are not bound to a single time or place. They exist somewhere between dream and history, shaped by memory and imagination. The trees—stand tall like sentinels or songlines, their trunks not only reaching upward but rooting in all directions, as if charting the many paths now open, the freedom to move, to choose, to become, This  piece doesn’t aim for historical exactitude in setting but rather emotional truth. I wanted the viewer to feel what I felt as I painted: a quiet awe, a swelling pride, a bone-deep knowing that freedom—though delayed—was worthy of joy and ceremony. That joy, especially as held by Black women, is revolutionary. This is our sacred gathering. Our light in the dark. Our becoming.

Size: 16 x 20

Medium: Acrylic on canvas. 

This is my favorite type of original painting that I offer. This original painting is delivered fully stretched on canvas. They arrive ready to hang with a pre-attached hanging wire for easy hanging. The artwork is printed onto a premium canvas that can add a beautiful addition to your room.  These resilient materials are built to last. If you choose to add an original painting to your home, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy them in my home!

Frame not included. 

Shipping: Shipping and insurance cost is not included in price of painting. Quote will be provided at time of purchase. 

Return policy. All sales are final. No exchanges or returns. 

Mockup Image:Please note that the framed image is a mockup and is intended solely to illustrate how the painting would look in a frame. The dimensions may not be accurate, so please refer to the product description for the exact measurements.