National Law Enforcement Museum Announces First-Ever Art Exhibition Celebrating Creativity of Officers
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 22, 2024) – The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) announced today that the National Law Enforcement Museum’s inaugural art exhibition, "Officers as Artists: The Creative Expression of Those Who Serve," will launch with a soft opening on Friday, September 27, 2024, in its DuPont Gallery to artists and their families, board members, corporate sponsors and other special guests. This groundbreaking exhibit will spotlight the artistic talents and creativity of law enforcement officers across the country, highlighting how art serves as a transformative and powerful outlet for those who navigate the complexities and challenges of their professio"Officers as Artists" will feature the works of 50 active and retired law enforcement officers from across the United States, showcasing a wide array of mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, and mosaic.
The exhibition not only presents their artistic creations but also shares the personal stories of how these officers use art as a means of processing trauma, managing stress, and expressing their individuality beyond the badge.
The featured artists and states they are from include: Jacqueline Abodeely (NY), Kerry Adcock (TX), Antoinette Alcazar (IL), Leni D. Anderson (OH), Brooke Bedal (TN), Chad Bingham (CO), Judy Birney (FL, who submitted work posthumously on behalf of her late father, Conrad Birney), Joshua Blackwell (IL), Larry Boody (NJ), Rose Borisow (MD), Benjamin Brown (MD), Todd Brown (AZ), Daniel Clifford (WI), Shannon Cockett (DC), Kevin Cotter (OH), Adam Cotti (MD), Bryan Cottrell (NJ), Lee Darnell (NC), Ingrid Dean (HI), John Duke (MD), Paul Eckloff (MD), Nina Figgs (MO), Lisa Flahive (MI), Bob Franco (FL), Sandy Friedman (CO), Constance Garro (NE), Lazaro Gonzalez (MD), Kelly Graham (NY), Debra Guieb (KS), Kristen Hale (TX), Aaron Hunter (DC), David Huynh (DE), Michael Johnson (MT), Thurston Johnson (TX), Tony Khabir (MA), John Kiernan (VA), Ted Larson (TN), John Little (TX), Joe Lynch (CA), Dan Mihalko (VA), Natalie Murry (TX), Winston Pingeon (DC), Jeremiah Prescott (KY), Kevin Rasmussen (IL), Shakaira Sanjurjo (NY), Russell Saunders (FL), Robert Schutte (FL), Dan Tipton (AL), Mariah West (NV) and Brittany Wolfe (CA).
"The creative expressions featured in this exhibit offer a unique and intimate glimpse into the lives of law enforcement officers," said William Alexander, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. "We hope that through this exhibit visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of those who serve and the therapeutic role art can play in their lives."
The "Officers as Artists" exhibit will officially open in the DuPont Gallery to the general public on September 28, 2024, running for 11 months through August 30, 2025. Opening day for the exhibit also mark’s the National Law Enforcement Museum’s annual Open House.
For more information, visit: https://nleomf.org/museum/officers-as-artists/
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About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The first pillar of this mission, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the names of all the 24,067 officers who have died in the line of duty to date throughout U.S. history. Additionally, NLEOMF maintains and publishes comprehensive details on the circumstances surrounding official line-of-duty deaths. The Officer Safety and Wellness pillar uses that data, coupled with best-practice program models, to produce programming directed at solutions to improve survivability and enhance wellness. NLEOMF’s third pillar, the National Law Enforcement Museum (LawEnforcementMuseum.org) is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come.
