During the depths of the Great Depression, the U.S. government helped support the arts by employing hundreds of artists through the WPA (Works Progress Administration) to create posters promoting positive social ideals and programs, as well as a uniquely American way of life. In a speech launching a special National Parks poster series, Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “There is nothing so American as our National Parks.” A total of 14 posters were produced and distributed to encourage people to visit the parks during the dark days of the Depression.
Now, with a new crisis afflicting the world, the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation has drawn from that historical initiative to create a WPA-inspired poster spotlighting one of their most-visited properties. The new Cedar Tree Neck poster features a painting by local artist Rez Williams, and is designed to emulate the National Parks posters of the 1930s.
“We just thought it would be a nice way to build interest in Sheriff’s Meadow,” says executive director Adam Moore.
Thanks to the talents of Kathleen Forsythe of Forsythe Design, the poster manages to spotlight the beauty of Rez Williams’ work, which he created specifically for the project, while providing the look and feel of the original posters, making it an attractive and unique work of art.
Williams, who is a longtime Sheriff’s Meadow board member, was given license to choose which property he wanted to capture. In selecting Cedar Tree Neck, he was motivated by the fact that, in his words, “It’s the most iconic of the sanctuaries. Aside from its natural beauty, it’s also sort of the poster boy for land conservation.”
Williams is well known both on-Island and off for his large-scale paintings of fishing boats and landscapes. His style, sort of a semicolor block approach with delineated boundaries, lent itself well to the poster design, although, as he points out, he purposefully limited his usual complexity of colors in order to capture the look of the original silkscreened posters.
The timing of the poster project was not intentional. However, the fact that it aligned with such a challenging time in history lends weight to the importance of recognizing both art and nature.
In a press release for the project, Moore says, “I think the poster shows the enduring value of conservation. I think it shows that conservation always has value, in good times and in bad.”
Read more about the poster project in a story in Arts & Ideas by Kate Feiffer at bit.ly/3kP300T.
The Cedar Tree Neck posters measure 14 x 19 inches, and can be obtained by becoming a supporter of Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation. Moore asks that any contribution, at the very least, cover the cost of shipping. To make a donation and request a poster, email info@sheriffsmeadow.org.