BRUNSWICK —  PeaceWorks will hold an exhibit at Brunswick’s Curtis Memorial Library in collaboration with the 9th annual Peace Fair. The show, “Peacemakers from Americans Who Tell the Truth: Portraits by Robert Shetterly,” can be seen in the library’s Morrell Community Room from July 12 through Aug. 3. A gallery talk at 6 p.m. on July 12 will be part of Brunswick’s July Art Walk.

Shetterly will also be at the Peace Fair on Saturday, Aug. 3, with prints of some of his many portraits. He will speak to fair-goers about giving young people the power to be active citizens. Among the portraits in the Curtis Library exhibit will be several of young people who have made courageous stands for humanity, justice and non-violence.

An example is the portrait of Samantha Smith, grade school student and peace activist from Manchester. In 1982 she wrote this message to Soviet General Secretary Yuri Andropov: “If we could be friends by just getting to know each other better, then what are our countries really arguing about? Nothing could be more important than not having a war if a war could kill everything.”

Samantha received a personal reply that included a personal invitation to visit the Soviet Union, which she accepted.

Samantha attracted extensive media attention in both countries as a “Goodwill Ambassador,” and became known as “America’s Youngest Ambassador.” She participated in peacemaking activities in Japan and wrote a book about her visit to the Soviet Union. She also co-starred in the television series “Lime Street,” before her death at the age of 13 in a plane crash.

Shetterly’s paintings and prints are in collections all over the U.S. and Europe. He is well known for his series of 70 painted etchings based on William Blake’s “Proverbs of Hell,” and for another series of 50 painted etchings reflecting on the metaphor of the Annunciation.

The portraits have given Shetterly an opportunity to speak with children and adults all over this country about the necessity of dissent in a democracy, the obligations of citizenship and how democracy cannot function if politicians don’t tell the truth, if the media don’t report it and if the people don’t demand it.

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