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[DATE]
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Local Project Director, Title and Organization
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Presentation Explores War Experiences of Kansas Artist
[Community Name] – [Organization Name] in [Community Name] will host “An
Artist in the World Wars,” a presentation and discussion by Ron Michael on [Date] at
[Time] at [Location and Address of Presentation]. Members of the community are
invited to attend the free program. Contact the [Host Organization Name] at [Phone
Number] for more information. The program is made possible by the Kansas
Humanities Council.
[List any details about local event here]
Henry Varnum Poor, a native of Chapman, Kansas, was already an accomplished artist
when he was drafted to serve in World War I. His duties along the frontlines were
dangerous, but he was able to document his surroundings and fellow soldiers in
paintings, drawings, and prints. Years later, Poor volunteered his services to again
paint and sketch military activities during the second World War. This presentation
will compare Poor’s work and writings during the World Wars.
Ron Michael is the curator of the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery in Lindsborg,
where he has researched Sandzén and other artists in the gallery’s collection.
"Poor grudgingly entered the First World War, which took him away from his work as
a teacher and artist," explains Michael. "However, using Kansas-instilled fortitude, he
made the best of the situation and eventually became regimental artist for the 115th
Regiment of Engineers in France. World War II was a different story, with Poor
volunteering his artistic and writing skills to document the underappreciated wartime
activities along the Alaskan coastline."
“An Artist in the World Wars” is part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Humanities
Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and discussions that examine our shared
human experience—our innovations, culture, heritage, and conflicts.
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The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs,
serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and
encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For
more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at
785/357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org.
For more information about “An Artist in the World Wars” in [Community] contact
the [Host Organization] at [Phone Number] or visit [Website].
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