My art is about a story, a story of a past that shaped and still influences the present and future.

I interpreted this story by using images synonymous with Idaho’s landscape: rugged mountains adorned with trees and a meandering river. I also included a silhouette of the state capitol building and a suffrage-related artifact: an umbrella.

The river runs through the center of the stripe with the mountains at the bottom. The river symbolizes strength and continuity. Its force changes landscapes constantly reminiscent of the women who fought for suffrage rights, a milestone that changed history and continues to empower women up to the present. The rugged mountains represent the challenges and obstacles they were able to overcome. On the left is a dove that heralds a message of peace.

Central to the artwork are two women figures depicting the past and present, each holding an umbrella used by suffragists in their campaign. They are reaching out to each other to emphasize their connection and at the same time, bestowing a valuable legacy from the past to the present.

Milestones on women’s suffrage in Idaho and the US are also included in the river flow, starting from the legislatively-referred constitutional amendment (LRCA) Senate Joint Resolution 2 (SJR 2) also known as the Idaho Women’s Right to Suffrage. This extended equal right of suffrage to women in Idaho on November 3, 1896, the fourth state in the US to do so. In the middle is 1920, the year of the ratification of the 19th Amendment and at the end is the year 2020, the 100th anniversary of the ratification and my state’s name. On the bottom is a quote from a banner of the Equal Suffrage Club of Idaho (1897) which is currently displayed at the Idaho State Museum.

From overcoming mountains of obstacles, life flows like a river and continues to change and shape us. We honor these women from our past by preserving their legacy and continuing what they have started in promoting our rights. This is my art to honor them.

Visit Vina's Website