WORDS & IMAGES . . . Hattie Mae's Harvest by Lori D. Johnson

 Sometimes mere words aren't enough.  After I finished writing "Hattie Mae's Harvest" an essay that appears in the most recent issue of Midnight and Indigo, I was inspired to create an accompanying collage.  It's been years since I've felt inspired to create something that falls within the realm of the fine arts.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm kind of rusty, but the feeling that I got while I was in the throes of putting it together was nothing short of WONDERFUL.  

The following is a snippet from the essay . . . 

An old black and white photograph of seven smiling Black women is one of my favorites.  I discovered it in 2017 on a visit with my now ninety-some-year-old Aunt Rubylene.  I don't know who took the picture; what year it might have been taken, or for what occasion.  Even though my Aunt Rubylene is in the photo, she blames her failing memory for her inability to offer any of the pertinent details.  My aunt has always been gracious and forthcoming with me, so I want to take her at her word.

You can read the rest of the work here . . . HATTIE MAE'S HARVEST.

And if you look closely at the artwork below,  you will notice that a couple of the photos described in the essay are featured in the collage.

Hattie Mae's Harvest

by 

Lori D. Johnson

NOMADLAND for the WIN!!!

I was hoping Nomadland would win for Best Picture.  The fact that it was based on a non-fiction title was a nice surprise (yes, another must-read for my collection) and probably accounted for it’s documentary-like feel.  Frances McDormand was wonderful as “Fern.” I’ve been enjoying her on-screen performances since HBO’s “Olive Kitteridge.”  McDormand’s female protagonists typically bring something other than their looks or sex appeal to the story, which is always a plus.

But what I enjoyed most about Nomadland was that it had the audacity to tell a woman’s story without allowing her to be mentally destroyed, physically hurt or killed in the process.  Fern was independent, adventurous, free-spirited and outspoken.  Typically, women like her don’t fare well on the screen.  It’s almost an unspoken or unwritten rule that such a woman will have to be shown having to pay for the crime of operating in the world, like a free woman with agency (you know, like men do most of the time). 

I promise you, I sat through that whole movie waiting for the moment when she’d be made to pay in the form of some sort of assault--whether sexual or physical--for having the gall to be a woman who called the shots in her life without answering to anyone.  At the movie’s end, I was shocked, relieved and to be honest--somewhat overjoyed that she’d survived without being harmed or stripped of her dignity.  I also knew at that moment that a smart, creative and talented woman must have been behind the making of the film.

I’m thrilled for Chole Zhao!  I can’t wait to see her next film and I truly hope she continues to be different and daring in her portrayals of woman.  For me, Nomadland was truly a refreshing and welcome change of pace.