The color green has broad and sometimes contradictory meanings. In some cultures it symbolizes hope, nature, and growth, while others associate it with sickness and envy. A green light is a go-ahead, representing forward movement, but not necessarily positive change. In this drawing Dial surrounds two women with an ambient green light to symbolize how far women have collectively come in their struggle for freedom. The women are decidedly modern, in full makeup complete with hairdos, lipstick, eye shadow, and painted nails. These are not the women of the fields or those forced to do menial chores at home. They are going somewhere fast, their bodies articulated in turbulent, dynamic lines. But there is a catch. The effects of progress can be double-edged, and there are potential dangers of anyone going too fast. This drawing serves as both celebration and warning, honoring the long struggle that has been fought by women for equal rights, but warning that with rights come responsibilities, and that the younger generations will have to work just as hard to maintain what they have inherited.
