In honor of America’s1976 Bicentennial celebration the Smithsonian Institute Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) created more than 200 traveling exhibitions. The exhibitions part of the Smithsonian’s “The American Experience” program was part of the festivities in towns and cities throughout the country. These exhibitsallowed citizens who were not able to visit Washington DC an opportunity to participate in the Smithsonian Museum’s special exhibits that featured the arts, sciences, and history.

The 1976 Smithsonian Exhibition LMFA has in its possession is underwritten by Mobile Oil and is composed of 13 artists chosen to represent the 13 colonies. The artists included American masters Roy Lichenstein, Rauschenberg, Christo, Edward Ruscha, James Rosenquist and non-other than Longview’s very own Velox Ward.

Using full range of work to see how the artist makes the images…. similar process to George Caleb Bingham, Charles Russell…. outsider in training. Lots of under drawing. H O Kelly…the other outsider with folk art.

Folk Imagery reflects hopeful, nostalgic…popular culture influenced his work Little House on the Prairie…looking back at the time he was painting….