On the cotton fields thing. There was an artist a number of years ago who had a booth at some of the local festivals and gatherings. She painted on old saw blades. Some were the usual craft fair type but some were done on old hand saws and she used old photo's out of books. I have one that I just loved. She had the book and showed me what she'd used to paint the one I bought. It's a really good rendition of the slaves in the fields with the house in the background. Not a fancy house, but not the slave quarters either. She had a good eye for detail and as far as we could tell, the saws are antiques. The circular blades of course are not.
I have another picture, artist proof of that depicts the shanty type of house so common before Jim Walter became affordable for lower income people. The woman is sweeping the yard and there are quilts and such hanging on the line. The 'shanty' is more of a log cabin in this one. It's in black and white and reminds me so much of the homes I visited when I was allowed to go on my 'Aunties' welfare route. I have noticed my grandkids looking at both the saw and the picture. They are asking questions and want to know why she is 'sweeping' the yard. That's my cue that they are ready to hear the answer and it usualy leads to other questions. That is one of the best ways I can at least get this information into a younger brain. I refuse to say the activity in those two artworks are good or bad. I tell them it's just the way it was.

Pam