Over the last 63 years, the sprawling annual Art in the Park festival has brought scores of national artists to our university town for an early summer weekend to celebrate creativity and sell their wares. This Spring, however, the June 4-6th event was again canceled for the second year in a row because of covid restrictions.
As done in 2020, entries were nonetheless accepted for the Veterans Pavilion tent. These works will be exhibited virtually on line as done last year but supplemented this season with postings on social media and a pop-up display July 17-29 in the lobby gallery of the Central Bank of Boone County, Missouri. The BRC craftsman, a former Air Force serviceman, fashioned a “Sky Rover” banjo that was accepted for the Veterans Tent art show. A life long student of military history, the BRC banjoist has an extensive collection of vintage wartime posters, many of which display bold eagle images as seen below right. The Founding Fathers adopted the eagle as the emblem of our fledgling country because of the fierce beauty and proud independence of the bird. Native Americans revere the eagle because it flies so high and is considered the avian closest to the Creator.
In addition to mother of pearl inlays on the peg head and fretboard of the Sky Rover, the heel of the instrument bears a signature BRC inlay for the eyes only of the musician. In an art league gallery picture below, the BRC craftsman poses with the Sky Rover while it is being photographed for the Veterans Pavilion virtual exhibit. A reception for the contributing Veteran artists is planned at the Central Bank on July 29th at the conclusion of the pop-up exhibit.
From the BRC: Have a restful and healthy Fourth of July weekend.
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