<DIV>More than half a century after her family moved north to find a better life, African American artist Michele Wood returned to the south to see and feel the land where her ancestors lived. <i>Going Back Home</i> presents a series of her paintings inspired by this personal journey. Through her complex and richly patterned art, Wood places herself back in history, imagining the struggles of her ancestors to overcome hardship through family love and strong community. Michelle Wood collaborated with author Toyomi Igus to interpret her visual images and family stories. Igus's moving text draws on African American history to reveal the experiences of Wood's turn-of-the-century sharecropping family.</div>