I am truly honored to participate in the remarkable Focus on the Past exhibit at the Attleboro Arts Museum, an exhibit commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. The 76 exhibiting artists in this invitational exhibition are all previous 8 Visions artists since 2006. Each artist was asked to select one of 8 artifacts from the Museum’s Permanent Collection that relate to U.S. history. Each artist was free to interpret their chosen collection piece with an original work of their own. 

I have selected “Plant a Victory Garden”(1943) a WWII Conservation Poster by Robert Gwathmey (American 1903-1988) and used it as inspiration to create a new work entitled "The Tubers of Victory".  Here is my artist statement:

Instead of sitting on my hands during the COVID-19 pandemic, I was motivated to grow more vegetables. Cultivating the plants not only helped me cope with the lock-down emotionally, but it also eased the restless boredom and societal restrictions. On another level, I  was doing my part in fighting the pandemic "war”, in a small way, helping to alleviate the effects of supply chain disruptions, cost increases, and product shortages due to panic buying. Working in my "Pandemic Victory Garden" was therapeutic and gratifying. My gardening became a mission to self-sustenance, providing a portion of my household's food needs, and sharing a bounty of healthy, delicious produce with family and neighbors. And that was a Victory.

The Tubers of Victory
Acrylic, graphite, colored pencil and varnish on wood panel
48” x 36” x 2”

Focus on the Past exhibit continues through February 28 at the Attleboro Arts Museum, 86 Park St., Attleboro, MA.  Free and open to the public. Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4pm.