This selection of works by Clementine Hunter explores her lived experiences while living and working on Melrose Plantation, located in the Cane River region of Louisiana. Born around 1887, Hunter and her family worked as agricultural laborers and later in life, she supported her own children as their sole financial provider. After busy days as a housekeeper and cook at the plantation, she spent nights teaching herself how to paint. Characterized by their vibrant colors and populated depictions of her community, her paintings were not exhibited until 1949 and were recognized by institutions such as American Folk Art Museum and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in the 1970s. Hunter remained in Louisiana for the rest of her artistic career until her death in 1988, producing a prolific range of works that were deeply connected to the world around her.

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