Tribute to America was selected by the Kennedy Foundation to be a part of the "Follow the Dream" art tour in 2002. The focus was to encourage disabled people to follow their dreams of involvement in the arts.

Most artists, as did many others, found themselves questioning what they were doing after the events of 9-11. At first we ask if what we are doing is valid, does it really matter in the face of such weighty affairs as this. But soon most of us realize that it is not only valid but our duty to continue artistic expression and creative communication, to speak in a way that crosses language barriers. And many of us felt compelled to make a response to the emotional upheaval of this event. Tribute to America is mine.

I wanted to make a statement that was lovely rather than angry, reaching in rather than lashing out. And I chose to use familiar symbols with deep meanings. Even the wheat which is a variety called "Triumph" is symbolic of our nation's farmers and their role in helping to feed the world.

We need to remember how we felt towards our fellow Americans after the tragedy. Those who died and the loved ones that mourn them will never be forgotten.

The national motto of the United States of America, adopted by congress in 1956:

In God We Trust