Ed. Note: This posting sent by Barbara Vaile.  CCB

“Americans Who Tell the Truth”

Hosted by Walpole Unitarian Church

            A special presentation by artist Robert Shetterly, creator of a series of non-partisan portraits entitled “Americans Who Tell the Truth” will be hosted by Walpole Unitarians both at a special community event at the Town Hall October 3 at 5 p.m. and at their Sunday service at 10 a.m.       

           “I try to tell an honest history, to provide role models – not of the myths of U.S. exceptionalism, but of citizens who struggled for justice – and to provide hope by offering stories of courage,” Shetterly says.

            The portraits invoke the spirit of “people who have insisted that this country live up to its own professed ideals about inalienable rights, equality and justice,” he added. 

            The portraits came to life after September 11, 2001, as Shetterly longed to tell stories of the American experience in a special way. 

            Although he originally planned to paint just 50 portraits, his collection continues to blossom - now more than 150 - including men and women from all walks of life, living and dead.  From Sojourner Truth to today's Americans all are people whose “courage, honesty, tolerance, generosity, wisdom, and compassion have made our country strong.”

            The portraits include the subject’s words over each image.  For instance, Arthur Miller words are "I think the job of the artist is to remind people of what they have chosen to forget." 

            And from Dwight Eisenhower: "…The world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hope of its children…"

            At the Town Hall event, Mr. Robert will speak from a display of original paintings and also projected images of others in circulation around the country.  He will talk about how they inspired him and the interactions with subjects as they were being painted.

           You can learn more about this artist and his paintings by going to his site: www.americanswhotellthetruth.org. 

           The Service at the Unitarian church begins at 10 a.m. October 3, and the showing at the town hall at 5 p.m.

            There will be light refreshments at the evening town hall event.

            For more information, please contact Barbara Vaile at 603-756-3711.