"Hands That Feed Us" Project

Farming in the Hudson Valley has such a rich history. Migrant workers are part of this story.

Migrant workers toil in the Hudson Valley doing jobs most Americans won't, earning modest wages, sometimes risking deportation. Hard at work, they summon our attention and invite us to come closer, to see their labor and their humanity.

Who are they? Can you see them?

It’s possible for society to confer invisibility on a group. It’s convenient; if the group is invisible we relieve ourselves of concern about health care, working conditions, pesticides, housing, lack of ability to get their own food.

What is life like for them? What role do we play in keeping them unseen?

My work can expand our perceptions of these workers. If only by their images in my paintings, the viewer will come to see these persons for the vital role they have in our lives.

The "Hands That Feed Us" project Part One 2023 was made possible from a grant from Art Mid-Hudson and Two 2024 Reaching Out is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Take a tour to view the banners celebrating these heroes!

Reproductions of my paintings have been installed on 11 structures and can be viewed on a scenic loop drive.

Click on the image below for a 2 page PDF where you can view or print it out to take the tour!

July 2022 ~ Barbara won the ""Artivist" award from Arts Mid Hudson-Ulter County Executive Award

January 2022 ~ Barbara won the Beatrice & Sidney Laufman award for her drawings in the Woodstock Art Association & Museum's Focus "Art & Social Justice" show

"Leading with Artivism" is a live monthly interview series, created and curated by Poet Gold in collaboration with Arts Mid-Hudson, featuring a diverse mix of Artivists (Artist Activists) who have taken up the charge through their art to highlight social issues. We invite you to ask questions and get an inside look at the hearts and minds of these courageous creatives.