Yellow House
Blanch Ackers
Description
The daughter of a poor Arkansas sharecropper, Ackers moved to the Detroit, Michigan area in 1943 to work in a wartime factory, and then to Ypsilanti, Michigan where she lives permanently. In 1985, Ackers began to work in the Willow Run School District as part of the Foster Grandparent Program run by Child and Family Services. While working at Ford Elementary School in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Ackers was introduced to drawing and watercolor painting by Christine Hennessy, an art teacher.
Recalling memories from childhood, most of Ackers’ works depict scenes, situations, and events that are familiar to her. Because of the personal nature of her work, Ackers’ paintings and drawings are finely detailed. In Yellow House, the scene is carefully laid out with emphasis on distinct elements. The trees have meticulously sketched and colored leaves, the siding and roof of the house are clearly defined, and although too far away to reasonably be seen, the figures’ faces in the background are clearly visible.
Lindsay Meehan
Modern and Contemporary Art Intern
2002
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