Original Watercolor Painting over Graphite Pencil Drawing

Image Size: 15.5”x30.5”

Framed Size: 23.5”x38.5”

When the United States entered World War II in 1941, workforces scrambled to fill positions left empty by the large number of young men sent abroad. This left our nation in the very capable and determined hands of the women at home. Breaking many social norms, American women proved that they were an integral part of our Nation’s victory in WWII; and during this time the percentage of women in the workforce rose from 27% to 37%, and for the first time in American history nearly 25% of all married women were employed outside of the home. The symbolic, Rosie the Riveter figure, serves as the main focus in the piece. She shows us that femininity and strength go hand in hand. To her right is a tribute to Wendy the Welder, a lesser known war icon used to recruit women towards jobs that were previously only available to men.