Information provided by Luna Gallery. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
“Beyond Bullwhip Days”, tells the stories of individuals who have been underrepresented. First-hand accounts from ex-slaves are the foundation of the exhibit, which is designed to celebrate America’s complicated history and the legacy of slavery.
Using combinations of graphite, watercolor, wax-based paint and collage, Germain Hatcher explores the myriad of layers that make up these individuals’ experiences as well as the time, and place from which we as a nation have risen. Hatcher explains, “some of these stories are difficult and I don’t think the audience that sees this show needs to be comfortable with these stories, but there is an imminent necessity that we, as Americans, come to collectively respect the struggle of these individuals.” Hatcher focuses on individual faces and expressions, but leaves room for interpretation. She is deeply cognizant that we will never understand the complete stories of these men and women, what they have endured or what they would hope to convey. Reflecting on the show the artist notes, “this collection is evolving. I see it as the beginning of a narrative, a book with more and future chapters still pending.”
Hatcher. Photo courtesy of Luna Gallery.
Artist Statement:
Artists find inspiration in a myriad of places. Mine came from a book called “Bullwhip Days: The Slaves Remember” edited by James Mellon. It is a collection of 32 of the 2000 interviews with ex-enslaved people (from across the United States) that were done between the years 1936-1938 as part of the WPA. In addition to interviews, photographers took up to 500 photos of the interviewees. These works gave me a goal of reuniting the subjects with their stories and their names in a way that would show their resilience, beauty and humanity. While trying to gain the skills needed to do the painting I visualized, I started drawing, painting, and collaging a series of works I call “Beyond Bullwhip Days”. Each piece is a steppingstone toward a final large-scale piece.
Germain Hatcher Biography
Monterey Peninsula artist Germain Hatcher has always been drawn to art. A graduate of Pacific Grove High School, Germain studied at Otis/ Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles, before returning to the Peninsula at the age of 30. In the two decades that followed, she has developed an artistic career and business that are significant resources
to the Central Coast’s artistic community.
Despite her art-based education, Germain was initially hesitant to pursue art as a career. Inspired by trips to Italy and France where she renewed her artistic studies attending classes with Martine Vaugel and Ted Seth Jacobs, Germain was certain that her career should be based in the arts.
Germain began working for figurative sculptor Richard McDonald and was reminded of working with her hands and being surrounded by a creative and collaborative community. She went on to work for the Monterey County One Voice and Leadership Program creating murals throughout Monterey County with at-risk youth.
Today Germain is the owner and operator of Imagine Art Supplies in Pacific Grove and an experienced artist in several mediums. She loves working with new products and being forced to figure out something new. She continues to travel regularly for inspiration and to remind herself, “just how big the world is”. The artist finds the greatest inspiration in telling people’s stories in her work.
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