Description
A woman sits alone on the worn wooden steps of a red and yellow house, her posture marked by quiet exhaustion. Her gray hair, a testament to years lived and battles endured, frames a face that is unseen but undoubtedly weathered by time. Clad in a blue coat, a red skirt, and purple stockings tucked into black sneakers, she holds a cane in her left hand—a lifeline for stability, a symbol of reliance on external support. But her right hand tells an even more urgent story: resting on her lap, propped against her legs, is a simple cardboard sign with an undeniable plea—Will Work for Medicine.
This is not an image of destitution but of resilience in the face of systemic neglect. The woman is not begging; she is offering labor in exchange for survival. Her presence speaks for countless individuals in the United States—people who, despite working, aging, contributing, and enduring, find themselves priced out of healthcare, left to navigate a system that places profit over well-being. She does not ask for luxury, not even for help—just a fair chance at the care she needs.
To her right sits a plastic yellow laundry basket, filled with hangers. A sign taped to the front reads Free Hangers. The reference is unmistakable—coathangers, long associated with the brutal reality of unsafe, illegal abortions. With the rollback of reproductive rights, many women have been pushed into desperate circumstances, forced to seek unsafe alternatives due to the erosion of medical access. This simple basket, casually placed beside the woman, is a quiet yet devastating commentary on the loss of autonomy, the loss of options, the loss of care. It is not just a symbol of past horrors—it is a warning of what’s already happening again.
To her left, positioned on the steps, are three striking portraits—Kamala Harris, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Hillary Clinton. They are not displayed with reverence but rather with an air of transactional detachment. A sign in front of them reads Best Offer, as if these women—brilliant, powerful, skilled—have been placed on the discount shelf, their worth determined by whoever deems them useful.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the fierce legal mind who spent her career defending women’s rights, is here not as a figure of celebration but as a loss—a voice that once protected fundamental freedoms, now silenced by time and political maneuvering. Kamala Harris, once hailed as a groundbreaking vice president, now lingers in the background, largely dismissed despite her achievements. Hillary Clinton, an architect of policy and a relentless advocate for women and children, remains a symbol of how easily a woman’s competence can be overshadowed by a manufactured narrative of unlikability.
Together, these portraits underscore a grim reality: women of immense ability, knowledge, and experience are routinely undervalued, undercut, and underestimated. Whether through death, political dismissal, or societal rejection, they are placed aside, much like the hangers, much like the woman herself—left to be ignored or bartered over, their contributions disregarded, their leadership forsaken.
The environment around the woman further amplifies the painting’s message. Wild plants grow unchecked at the edges of her seating area, creeping into the frame. Nature reclaims the space, thriving in its own chaotic way, a stark contrast to the systems that fail to nurture human life with the same relentlessness. The plants, unbound by the same constraints that suffocate human progress, flourish while people like the woman struggle.
The house behind her, painted in striking red and yellow, suggests warmth, stability, shelter. And yet, the woman sits outside its walls, disconnected from whatever comfort or security it represents. She is not within the structure, but rather positioned on its periphery—left to navigate an increasingly indifferent society from the margins.
Will Work For Medicine is A Commentary on Healthcare, Power, and Loss
At its core, Will Work for Medicine is a searing indictment of a nation that claims to value life yet refuses to ensure the care that sustains it. It is a portrait of a woman who is emblematic of the countless individuals slipping through the cracks, forced to barter their labor, their dignity, even their futures, for something as fundamental as medicine.
It is also a commentary on the disposability of women—of their leadership, their autonomy, their ability to make decisions for their own bodies. The free hangers are a nod to the past but also a grim prediction of the future. The portraits of three of the most influential women in recent American history serve as a reminder of how easily society moves on, how quickly even the most capable and accomplished women can be cast aside.
But beneath its heavy themes, there is also an undeniable strength within the painting. The woman on the steps may be struggling, but she is not broken. She is still offering work in exchange for medicine—still holding on, still pushing forward, still existing in defiance of a system that would rather she disappear.
Through its careful symbolism, striking color contrasts, and deeply human subject, Will Work for Medicine demands that the viewer confront the realities of healthcare injustice, gender bias, and the systemic neglect of the vulnerable. It is not just a painting—it is a challenge, a statement, a demand that we do better.
Kellie Snider is a contemporary American artist whose work challenges social and political norms with bold, thought-provoking imagery. Rooted in storytelling, her paintings explore themes of justice, identity, and power, often confronting issues like inequality, systemic oppression, and the distortion of faith in modern America. With a background in behavior analysis, she brings a keen observational eye to her work, capturing the nuances of human and animal interactions. Her art invites conversation and reflection, urging viewers to engage beyond aesthetics. Through dynamic compositions and rich symbolism, Snider creates work that resonates with those seeking truth, change, and authenticity.
Make a statement in any room with this framed poster, printed on thick matte paper. The matte black frame that’s made from wood from renewable forests adds an extra touch of class.
• Ayous wood .75″ (1.9 cm) thick frame from renewable forests
• Paper thickness: 10.3 mil (0.26 mm)
• Paper weight: 189 g/m²
• Lightweight
• Acrylite front protector
• Hanging hardware included
• Blank product components in the US sourced from Japan and the US
• Blank product components in the EU sourced from Japan and Latvia
How to attach hooks on 24″ × 36″ horizontal frames:
Place each of the mounting hooks 1 inch (2.5 cm) from frame corners when hanging horizontally.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it takes us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions!
Age restrictions: For adults
EU Warranty: 2 years
In compliance with the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), Kellie Snider and SINDEN VENTURES LIMITED ensure that all consumer products offered are safe and meet EU standards. For any product safety related inquiries or concerns, please contact our EU representative at gpsr@sindenventures.com. You can also write to us at 2504 Hollywood Dr Pittsburgh PA 15235 USA or Markou Evgenikou 11, Mesa Geitonia, 4002, Limassol, Cyprus.
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