Arlington: Everytown America in the 1940s

(June 26-November 7, 2027)

Limric/Parmelee Gallery

Arlington, a quaint, unassuming little rural village—Everytown, America—tucked into the foothills of the Green Mountains in southern Vermont, was an unlikely home to a cadre of some of America’s most respected artists, illustrators, and authors in the decades surrounding World War II. They were drawn to the area by a number of factors, including the beautiful landscape and a close-knit, supportive community. In the face of rapid social changes during the World War II era, many Americans felt a real comfort in images of rural, small-town American life. Arlington was the perfect setting for artists who were trying to create a sense of traditional American values. Featuring the work of John Atherton, George Hughes, Gene Pelham, Norman Rockwell, Meade Schaeffer, and Don Trachte, Sr., and author Dorothy Canfield Fisher, this exhibition will explore how these artists helped construct the mythology of small-town America during a pivotal moment in American history.