In this summer of uncertainty, quarantined art and improvisation in every area of our lives, Bill Pritchard of beloved Mosaic Catering, and his wife, Nancy Colton, of Mosaic and Miller’s Carnation, asked if we might be able to create a mural on Main Street to cheer up Carnation and the Valley. A few phone calls later and through a generous donation from Carnation Farms, the Lee Arts Foundation picked up the torch, commissioned local Valley artist Lydia Leigh and the spectacular panoramic view of the Valley was born.

This gift to the Valley, created off site at Steve Foster’s shop (thanks, Steve!!), represents the beauty and abundance that our Valley provides, while highlighting Carnation landmarks. While the mural was being created, the existing construction plywood on the buildings contained well wishes to 2020 Cedarcrest High School seniors and the LAF banner from its 4th of July Drive through Parade float.

Thank you to everyone who made these spontaneous art happenings possible in this challenging summer!

And please do ALL you can to support local businesses downtown and beyond. They are struggling and may not be with us without outside help. We all need each other in extraordinary ways right now, even physically distanced.

We want to especially thank Toby Maloy and Steve Foster for their installation expertise, and of course, our fabulous artist Lydia Leigh, for creating this beautiful gift for Carnation and the Valley.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead

“Lee Grumman believed in and fostered communities. It can be a task that is challenging and difficult, given the degree of disagreement we humans have, and that makes her achievements all the more admirable. Lee loved art and creativity. It was one of her ways to connect community. Above all, she had a deep sense of humanity and caring. These are the things that struck us, often from a distance since we did not live close by, but we always wanted to know her better. She was a wonderful, human force.”

~Diana Kincaid and Matt Perkins, July 22, 2018

“You are a light. You are THE light. Never let anyone – any person or any force – dampen, dim, or diminish your light. Study the path of others to make your way easier and more abundant. Lean toward the whispers of your own heart, discover the universal truth, and follow its dictates. Know that the truth always leads to love and the perpetuation of peace. Its products are never bitterness and strife. Clothe yourself in the work of love, in the revolutionary work of nonviolent resistance against evil. Anchor the eternity of love in your own soul and embed this planet with its goodness. Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won. Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don’t be afraid to stand up, speak up, and speak out against injustice. And if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, and a Beloved Community that is finally at peace with itself.”

~John Lewis
from the Reconciliation chapter of his 2012 book, Across that Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

~Nelson Mandela
Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela