Watch for Snakes

In Mississippi summers, grass grows faster than life sometimes allows. This painting is a close-up of the uncut land at Allen’s family property during her father’s illness, a season when ordinary maintenance gave way to caregiving. The tall grass that fills the canvas is not just overgrowth; in rural Mississippi, it is a safety concern. Snakes move through it unseen, and the task of keeping it cut is one of the quiet ways a father protects his family. Allen captures the particular anxiety of walking through that grass alone, stopping, watching, and doing what needed to be done in his absence. The painting asks viewers to reconsider what we call a chore, and who we rely on to keep us safe in ways we rarely name.

This piece was selected for the South Arts State Prize & Fellowship Traveling Exhibition. This work will travel for one year, beginning July 16th, and will be delivered to the collector upon return.