Art in Embassies: “Morning Colors” Placed in Brussels, Belgium
A project that began in collaboration with the U.S. Naval Academy in 2022 came full circle with the 2026 placement of “Morning Colors” at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels, Belgium. Below is more information about the curation, as well as the behind the scenes about the creation of the piece.
“Morning Colors” 16”x20” oil on panel, 2023
Details about the Exhibit
See the portfolio at Art in Embassies
Image captured from https://art.state.gov/portfolio/brussels-publication-2026/ on April 7, 2026
Image captured from https://art.state.gov/portfolio/brussels-publication-2026/ on April 7, 2026
Image captured from https://art.state.gov/portfolio/brussels-publication-2026/ on April 7, 2026
About the Painting
The head curator at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) museum reached out to me in 2022 with a call for art that would be a collaborative gift with USNA. The theme was “democracy,” inspired by a quote by President Joseph Biden At the U.S. Department of State Summit for Democracy in December 2021: “Democracy doesn’t happen by accident. We have to defend it, fight for it, strengthen it, renew it.”
This painting needed to be as much from me as it was from the institution of the U.S. Naval Academy. I have an ongoing body of work that speaks to that experience, so I knew I would need to focus on a specific moment unique to Annapolis, Maryland.
My initial thoughts were roughly noted in an email to the curator:
Democracy is an enormous topic, one that seems hardly possible to wrap up in a single image. I reflected on it quite a bit. It is something that is collectively upheld, resilient, malleable, but also as we have seen, can be threatened and must be fiercely protected.
Considering this, a few USNA specific moments came to mind. Herndon, the oath, colors, and log pt. However, since the intent of this piece is to be hung outside of the context of the Yard, “morning colors” feels the most effective.
First, it’s recognizable and familiar to anyone working in a diplomatic role whether or not they’ve been to Annapolis.
Deeper, the almost mundane daily ritual of it supports the same commitment to democracy each person makes in the nature of this work. It’s a collective effort to perform every day, faces are anonymous yet individual hands required to carry out the role. It is a reminder of the sacrifices which made it possible.
Details:
I’m picturing a fairly intimate perspective, with a clear focus on the flag and hands, faces likely vague. The color palette would be a bit hushed and soft.
Ask (pending your feedback of course!) : this is not a set of images I possess, and I normally like to source my own. Is there a database of USNA photos I could mine // a photographer I could work with on sourcing some images?
We worked together, alongside the USNA Public Affairs team, to get photos of the moment, of which I pieced together to create the scene. In the summer of 2023, the painting was complete. This is the statement I made about it on social media:
The process of actually painting this occured over months, during which we moved homes (and subsequently, my studio). I packed the piece with me!
Finishing the painting at an interim rental home surrounded by three kids home for the summer may not have been ideal, but we made it work.