Although I left the United States and the city of Joliet, Illinois in 1975, and went to live in France, I often returned to do art work there for our association Friends of Community Public Art. This piece, ironically, was for the junior high school I attended as a young girl.
We decided to represent 3 children from the basic ethnic groups found in the school: European, African American, and Hispanic. I found three good models and brought them to the studio to pose. Here is Jamie, the most patient of the three:
The little Hispanic girl looks very sad. I found out that she had serious problems at home and plenty to worry about. I wonder what the the three of them think now when they drive past their old junior high and see themselves there.
Here is the piece foundry ready:
And here are a couple of shots of the finished piece in front of the school:
