Harvey created two versions of Cotton Pickers, both eloquent statements of life in the cotton fields of the South. In the smaller piece, two people bend over the plants, weighted down by their overflowing sacks of cotton. Although the sculptures are made of simple materials, they are evidence of Harvey's ability to distill a complex scene into powerfully condensed artistic statements. The viewer can sense the strain in the pickers' backs, feel the heat of the sun beating down and experience the prick of the thorns on the fingertips time and again. In the larger work, children continue to play games and jump rope despite their circumstances, a sign of hope woven in by the artist.

Click here to hear Bessie Harvey talk about this piece.