We Shall Overcome – Original Mixed Media Abstract Painting by Erin McGrath Rieke
About this Artwork
We Shall Overcome is an original mixed media abstract painting created in 2020 as part of Erin McGrath Rieke’s Lost in Translation series. The piece was inspired by the enduring gospel hymn “I’ll Overcome Some Day,” a song of resilience, unity, and hope, and was created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolation, uncertainty, and collective grief informed the emotional tone of the work, making each layer of paint both a personal expression and a reflection of shared experience.
The painting’s surface is layered with textured brushwork and subtle color variations, echoing lyrical phrases such as “We’ll walk hand in hand,” “We shall live in peace,” and “We are not afraid.” Through the act of creation, I transformed fear and uncertainty into visual meditation, reclaiming hope and marking a path toward emotional resilience.
We Shall Overcome stands as both a personal reflection and a tribute to historical perseverance, connecting the psychological and emotional landscapes of the present with the enduring spirit of those who came before. The work invites viewers to engage with the tension between struggle and optimism, finding quiet encouragement in the abstract forms and textures.
Artwork Details
Artist: Erin McGrath Rieke
Title: We Shall Overcome
Year Created: 2020
Medium: Mixed media on canvas
Artwork Size: 16 W x 20 H x 1.5 D in
Style: Abstract / Contemporary Abstract
Subject: Emotional landscape, resilience, hope
Series: Lost in Translation
Original Artwork: One-of-a-kind
Frame: Optional
Additional Information
This painting reflects Rieke’s interest in using abstraction to explore emotional and psychological states. By layering mixed media on canvas, she creates a tactile environment where memory, emotion, and historical reference converge. The textures and visual rhythms of the piece are intended to evoke both the collective struggle of the pandemic and the timeless human drive toward perseverance and connection.
Although small in scale, the painting carries a profound emotional weight, serving as a meditation on the ways creative expression can help process grief, restore hope, and honor shared human experience.
Collecting Original Artwork
Original mixed media abstract works by Erin McGrath Rieke explore resilience, emotional landscape, and the interplay of personal and collective memory. Each piece is created by hand and exists as a singular work within the artist’s broader series. Collectors interested in contemporary abstract art with deep emotional resonance may also be drawn to other works in the Lost in Translation series.
We Shall Overcome – Original Mixed Media Abstract Painting by Erin McGrath Rieke
About this Artwork
We Shall Overcome is an original mixed media abstract painting created in 2020 as part of Erin McGrath Rieke’s Lost in Translation series. The piece was inspired by the enduring gospel hymn “I’ll Overcome Some Day,” a song of resilience, unity, and hope, and was created during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolation, uncertainty, and collective grief informed the emotional tone of the work, making each layer of paint both a personal expression and a reflection of shared experience.
The painting’s surface is layered with textured brushwork and subtle color variations, echoing lyrical phrases such as “We’ll walk hand in hand,” “We shall live in peace,” and “We are not afraid.” Through the act of creation, I transformed fear and uncertainty into visual meditation, reclaiming hope and marking a path toward emotional resilience.
We Shall Overcome stands as both a personal reflection and a tribute to historical perseverance, connecting the psychological and emotional landscapes of the present with the enduring spirit of those who came before. The work invites viewers to engage with the tension between struggle and optimism, finding quiet encouragement in the abstract forms and textures.
Artwork Details
Artist: Erin McGrath Rieke
Title: We Shall Overcome
Year Created: 2020
Medium: Mixed media on canvas
Artwork Size: 16 W x 20 H x 1.5 D in
Style: Abstract / Contemporary Abstract
Subject: Emotional landscape, resilience, hope
Series: Lost in Translation
Original Artwork: One-of-a-kind
Frame: Optional
Additional Information
This painting reflects Rieke’s interest in using abstraction to explore emotional and psychological states. By layering mixed media on canvas, she creates a tactile environment where memory, emotion, and historical reference converge. The textures and visual rhythms of the piece are intended to evoke both the collective struggle of the pandemic and the timeless human drive toward perseverance and connection.
Although small in scale, the painting carries a profound emotional weight, serving as a meditation on the ways creative expression can help process grief, restore hope, and honor shared human experience.
Collecting Original Artwork
Original mixed media abstract works by Erin McGrath Rieke explore resilience, emotional landscape, and the interplay of personal and collective memory. Each piece is created by hand and exists as a singular work within the artist’s broader series. Collectors interested in contemporary abstract art with deep emotional resonance may also be drawn to other works in the Lost in Translation series.
