Soldiers Footprints: Leaving Their Mark on a Nation
Exhibition Dates: June 11 - July 6, 2008
The Soldiers' Footprints exhibit was inspired by Framations co-owner, Sarah Merideth, granddaughter of deceased WWII veteran, Luke U Patton. In creating a way to honor Mr. Patton's service to our country, we decided that every veteran who has served our country has left an indelible footprint on our hearts. It is our intention to honor those veterans & create a lasting tribute to their bravery & selflessness. We will never forget their sacrifices.
The artists of Framations Art Gallery shared insights and connections to veterans who left a personal footprint in their lives. The artists honored these special veterans thru not only their artwork, but also in sharing photos and mementos from these special veterans.
This exhibit was shown at Framations Art Gallery in St Charles, MO and a portion of the proceeds from this exhibit benefitted the Disabled American Veterans.
"Soldiers Footprints: Leaving their mark on a Nation"
The collection of memorabilia on display during this exhibition was a mixture of items from living veterans and those whose memories have been passed down through generations. Each item has a story to tell, and in some cases, the stories stand alone. Some of these items are on loan from the family of deceased WWII veteran, Luke U. Patton, who served in the 104th Infantry, also known as the Timberwolves. In the years after the war, Patton found solace through writing, using his experiences in the war as his inspiration. He found that by putting the horrors he witnessed down on paper, he could not only keep those memories alive as a reminder of a terrible time, but also as a way of getting past it. He received the Silver Star, among other medals for his bravery in the war.
"Yes, footprints in the mud, footprints in the snow, footprints at the altar in Inden, Germany. Footprints across France, Belgium, Holland to [Zundert], then from Aachen to Berlin. Up in Holland I left footprints in the mud, red with another man’s blood."
~Excerpt from Soldiers' Footprints (read the full text),
by Luke U. Patton, CO. L 415th Inf., 104th Timberwolves.
Framations invited the public, particularly our veterans, current military, and their families, to view this multi-media exhibit. A portion of proceeds from this exhibit was donated to the local chapter of the Disabled American Veterans to aid the programs they offer to our local veterans.
