‘Beauty of Empowerment’

By James Hanlon
Leader Staff Writer
Take a drive through downtown Pontiac, and you might witness an example of Oxford’s finest student artwork.
Last summer, Oxford High School senior Kate MacInnis submitted her stunning painting, “The Beauty of Empowerment,” to the Canvas Pontiac 2020 Outdoor Gallery Art Contest. Her piece was chosen as one of the top 25 Handcrafted submissions and won the People’s Choice Award above all other submissions.
The contest’s top 25 pieces in both Handcrafted and Photography categories are on display throughout Downtown Pontiac. Now in its eighth year, Canvas Pontiac brings art and culture to Downtown Pontiac with support from Main Street Pontiac and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
MacInnis’s watercolor features an African-American woman adorned in a floral headdress and a necklace with the Venus female symbol. The piece “is inspired by women empowerment and the beauty that it holds. The flowers on the woman’s head represent the blooming or blossoming of the expressive, powerful, and independent women in today’s society.”
The painting is installed on a large 8’x10′ canvass on the side of the brick building at 148 N. Saginaw St., just south of Lafayette Market, in Pontiac. It can be seen driving northbound on North Saginaw Street before the Lafayette Street intersection. The artwork is seen daily by 18,000 commuters, and will be in place for a full year.
When MacInnis started the piece in June 2020, she knew she wanted to paint a watercolor that honored both the Black Lives Matter movement and women’s equality.
“I wanted to have some representation in my piece, so I chose a black woman. I painted flowers in her hair to represent the strong, unique women ‘blossoming’ in today’s society,” MacInnis described. “I knew these elements were the perfect way to combine beauty, and the two movements into a piece that told a story of strength, and equality. I managed to bring life into the piece. That’s really important.”
MacInnis is still building up her portfolio. “I have school and work, so it can be difficult to find time to create. This summer is when I plan on kicking my creativity into full gear!”
After graduating, she plans to attend Oakland Community College. “It has been difficult for me to narrow down what I want to do, but I definitely want to pursue something like the fine arts and/or performing arts. Along with my love for art, I love theatre and directing so I might do something with that. Who knows!”