Local Art Stolen
2 min readBy STEPHANIE TIPPLE
After a local painting displayed on a fence on Caroline Street was stolen by an unknown thief, the original artist of the work decided to create a new version.
The artist, Jay Anderson, collaborated with his daughter on the new version of the painting. After finding out the original, titled “The Warmth of Fredericksburg,” was taken from its display near the Bangkok Café, Anderson became determined to show the thieves that they wouldn’t win.
The new version of “The Warmth of Fredericksburg” will be displayed in the place of the original, along with five other images that were commissioned in 2010 by the Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority. This project was funded with a grant of $8,000 from the Authority.
The painting will be displayed beginning Sept. 21 without a ceremony, and will have more security than its predecessor.
Jenna Anderson, the artist’s daughter and owner of Libertytown Arts Workshop, is the subject of the original painting. Both father and daughter worked on the new painting this past weekend and hope to have it ready for display in time for its Sept. 21 debut.
The Andersons have made some slight changes from the original. One includes the scene of a young woman drinking a latte at Hyperion Espresso on a chilly day. In the original, the woman depicted was glancing to her side, but in the new version, she will be looking straight on, with her food and beverage finished.
“She’s looking at the audience this time, she’s more confident, trying to portray the emotion of ‘how dare you,’ and she’s finished her food and her coffee, so she’s unphased by the theft,” said Anderson.
The goal of these changes is to show the thief that both the figure and the artists will remain strong after their loss.
“The art happens in the mind, and it’s already happened in the minds, probably millions of times. Some people have seen that piece of art every day,” said Anderson. “It’s been up there for two years, so it’s already happened in the minds of many people. So whether it’s gone or not, it still continues in people’s souls.”
