The Allied Artists of West Virginia features Pat Cross in a presentation, Painting with Purpose with Eleanor’s 2020 Vision Project as her visuals.
“While working on this project over the months, I’ve gleaned some insights and practical tips to share with my art peers,” says Pat Cross. The presentation covers the five basic aspects of the project from planning, creating, documenting, publishing and exhibiting. “I particularly want to illuminate the benefits of working in a series,” says Pat Cross, “and of accepting the challenge of sticking with it for an extended period of time.”
Awarded an ARP Arts Grant, Pat Cross committed to completing one new artwork each week for 30 consecutive weeks from November 2021 through May 2022. “An arts grant or commission can serve as an external system of accountability,” says Pat Cross, “which encouraging production and creativity in a uniquely powerful way.” In this presentation, Painting with Purpose, Pat Cross will show how.
The series, Eleanor’s 2020 Vision, consists of 30 original artworks, each depicting the perks of living in a small town designed to provide a physical infrastructure for people to engage with the outdoors. “When Eleanor Roosevelt designed this town in 1933, she saw the potential for a healthy citizenry with access to safe streets, sidewalks, parks and trails. Most recently, this design helped the citizens to cope with the challenges imposed by the pandemic which required social distancing and the closure of many public venues. With this series, I show how her vision plays out into our own day.”
All members of the Allied Artists of West Virginia are welcome to attend the presentation, Painting with Purpose, by Pat Cross from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Dunbar Public Library Meeting Room, 301 12th St, Dunbar, WV 25064.
This program, Eleanor’s 2020 Vision, is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.