In this installment of AMA-UTA CreateCollab inspired by A Knight’s Tale, senior Travis King explores the concept of every day heroism in his photo essay, The Daily Life of a Single Mother.
Read more about CreateCollab partnership below.
THE DAILY LIFE OF A SINGLE MOTHER
ABOUT MY PHOTO ESSAY
by Travis King
This is Alisha Tompkins and she is a single mother to her daughter Alice. Alisha faces obstacles and adversity every day supporting Alice and taking care of her. She works tirelessly to make sure that Alice is happy and healthy and manages to do it all on her own. With everything she does, the Arlington Museum of Art’s Exhibit A Knight’s Tale is the perfect place to show the incredible job she does day in and day out. In medieval times, a knight had many responsibilities, protecting and serving the city and the King regardless of the sacrifice. Mothers are very much the same, protecting and providing for their child in every way they can, no matter what the cost may be. Being a single mother is especially difficult and many don’t receive enough credit for working long hours and still being there to teach their children everything they can. In that way, single mothers and knights are also very similar. Knights would work tirelessly and overcome countless challenges, whether it be on the field of battle or whether it be diplomatically. Brandishing their swords in the face of threats and danger, these knights do anything for their people. Many would describe them as fiercely loyal, the same way a mother is fiercely loyal to their children. Alisha not only checks all the boxes previously mentioned, but she also goes above and beyond even that. She is not just Alice’s mother, she’s also her teacher, mentor, and best friend. Spending the day with the two of them showed that no matter what issues may present themselves, a mother will always find a way to give their child the best life they can. No one embodies the spirit of a knight like a single mother. It’s truly the hardest job anyone could have.
Meet Travis King
Born and raised in DFW, I have spent nearly all my life in Texas. I graduated from Mansfield High School and will be graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington in December of 2022. I have had work in multiple fields before, including auto service and repair, the food industry, and retail. In my spare time I enjoy watching or playing almost any sport and staying active, spending time with friends and family, traveling to new locations, fishing, and more.
About AMA-UTA CreateCollab
Throughout the Fall 2022 semester, the Arlington Museum of Art is partnering with The University of Texas at Arlington and a senior-level digital storytelling class to explore a wide variety of contemporary themes inspired by “A Knight’s Tale.”
Class projects include photo essays, one-minute documentaries, and one-minute podcasts about themes as broad as sword fighting with light sabers, fulfilling family legacies, every day heroes, and modern metalsmithing.
Associate Professor of Communication Erika Pribanic-Smith, who teaches the class, values opportunities to bring real-world experiences to her students.
“My goal is to give my students real-world experience in all of my classes, creating real stories using real sources,” said Dr. Pribanic-Smith. “Creating stories that will be published for the public to see, not just submitted for a grade, gives students extra incentive to put forth their best effort. Furthermore, working with professionals gives the students another layer of feedback to re-enforce what they’re learning in the classroom. I prefer to work with organizations like the Arlington Museum of Art who will benefit in some way from the students’ content so that we are providing a service to the community.”
