Fort Taylor (built by enslaved africans (but noone wants to talk about it) - Key West

It was built by enslaved people of African descent but there was no mentioned of that on the 75 minute tour I took.

"It is not uncommon for Key West to deny past racism by reciting the claim that Key West was part of the Union during the Civil War. While it is true that Union forces took control of Fort Zachary Taylor and Fort Jefferson, the allegiance of Key West’s citizens at the time is debatable.

The fact that slaves, owned by prominent citizens of Key West who leased them to engineers of the U.S. Government for personal profit, built Fort Zachary Taylor and Fort Jefferson is not debatable." 

https://keysweekly.com/42/slavery-at-fort-taylor-fort-jefferson/ 

Key West’s slavery and emancipation story is quite different from those of other parts of Florida or the U.S. From the first American settlement in 1822, slavery was a part of Florida Keys culture, and by 1860, of 2,913 people at Key West, 451 of them were enslaved.[1] But, as the islands were too small to support large-scale agriculture, the Florida Keys never developed a plantation economy. Instead, the enslaved were often forced to work as domestic servants or as workers in the salt manufacturing business. But surprisingly, the largest single employer of slave labor in the Keys was the U.S. government, which utilized forced labor in the construction of Fort Taylor on Key West and Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas.[2] For many years, Key West slaveowners rented their people to the Army Corps of Engineers to help build the large masonry structures.

https://www.keyslibraries.org/post/island-chronicles-vol-8 

Henrietta Marie - Bell - Studios of Key West

Working on a design from the bell from the ship used in the transatlantic slave trade named the Henrietta Marie that sunk off of Key West. 

Michael Cottman wrote, "This bell would be the clue that would lead researchers to a horrible past of pain and unconscionable acts inflicted on men, women, and children in unprecedented numbers. These crimes were so brutal that strong men, their chests tight from fear, would prefer to jump over the sides of slave ships to a certain death rather than endure another day on board."

 

Work Clothes Quilt

 I was really inspired to make a piece based on the Work Clothes Quilt I saw at the Indigo Exhibit in San Diego.

Indigo Exhibit Explanation Card

Indigo Exhibit Quilt

Yesterday I painted a bunch of watercolor swatches and used salt, bleach, rubbing alcohol and spattering to make different textures.

Here they are hanging in my studio in Key West.

Here's the quilt design assembled on Photoshop

Artist Residency - PEARS - Studios of Key West

 I got to Key West a bit after midnight after a lot of travel issues.  After a long layover my flight was cancelled and I rented a car from Fort Lauderdale to Key West.  I started my journey at 8:30 pm and it was raining. I was scared driving because it was so dark and narrow but I got here.  I dropped off the car and got a LYFT from the Key West Airport to the Studios of Key West.

The Studios of Key West is incredibly beautiful. My studio is enormous .  Am I asking myself - how did I win this??   I feel so lucky.

TUESDAY

On June 3rd, we went grocery shopping and to the 99 cent store and I set up my studio.   I was got in contact with the museum at access to the collection. To my amazement I had a nice convo with Judy Blume at her bookshop.  I was crying when I saw her.  She was so important to me as a teenager.

WEDNESDAY

On June 4th, I met with the museum director and she's letting me go in the museum everyday for free.  I also did Bikram and got my notes together from the Cottman book, "The Wreck on the Henrietta Marie."

THURSDAY

I worked on the Sankofa designs again.  I want to the museum and I went to the local Bikram Studio.  I also went to the Mango Madness Art Opening next store.

FRIDAY/TODAY

I'm working on some designs from a mask I saw at the exhibit.  I'll put in another post what I have accomplished.