BALE, a community-building organization in Vermont’s White River Valley, will be hosting a show of Shetterly’s AWTT portraits from June 19 through  September 8, 2023. BALE describes its work as “building resilience, building community”. . . “we focus on such things as gratitude, conscious living and valuing what is important to the human spirit. . . .” AWTT is pleased to be returning to BALE after their gallery’s hiatus during COVID.

The show opens on Mon., June 19 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Here is BALE’s description of the 13-portrait exhibit. “For 20 years, Robert Shetterly has been making large format portraits of citizens who courageously address issues of social, environmental, and economic fairness. The project is called Americans Who Tell the Truth and it wonderfully merges art creation with our social and cultural realities. Each portrait has words spoken by the person painted etched into the actual portrait. The portraits and words are combined in a way that offers resources to inspire a new generation of engaged Americans who will act for the common good, our communities, and the Earth. The portraits (including one of Leah Penniman and Edward Abbey) 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, sustainability, U.S. history, and how democracy cannot function if politicians don’t tell the truth, if the media doesn’t report it, and if the people don’t demand it. BALE Commons in South Royalton has now hosted five exhibits of Robert’s work. Come be inspired by Americans who you may not know (including an 18-year-old).”