Caledonia Legion gifted lithograph by local artist

By Mike Renzella

The Haldimand Press

CALEDONIA—Local artist Barb Patterson-Tuck has surprised the Legion in Caledonia with the donation of a localized piece of art commemorating the many Haldimand-region soldiers who have served our country.

“My dad is a veteran, and ever since I was little I would go to every Remembrance Day faithfully. When you get older, you appreciate it more.  There are fewer veterans,” said Tuck. “This year is the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Holland, so I will be going with my dad in May. I went for the 70th and when I got there and met all the veterans, it was quite an emotional time. It inspired me to paint.”

Tuck recalled a time when her daughter had been assigned a writing piece for Remembrance Day. “She was much younger then and she was writing a poem…. She had put my father’s helmet on for inspiration and I had gone into the living room to see what she was doing and she had this helmet on and I snapped a picture and thought ‘one day I am going to use that’.”

Tuck used that image as the focal point for her piece. Starting with her daughter in the centre, then working outward to include poppies to represent fallen soldiers, and then including many local veterans around the frame.

Lithograph by Barb Patterson-Tuck.