The true story you are about to read took place six years before our National tragedy of September 11, 2001.
Patriotism is presently in vogue.
When we began, flags were not flying.
In many ways, our journey has been foretold...

It was Autumn of 1995. My husband Paul and I had just returned home from a month in Cape May, N.J. I felt inspired to create a new work. Art is my Profession. Love for people and Art has brought thirty-five years of specializing in "people art"...Portraits in oils and pastels; T.V. Make-up/ Special FX; Make-up Consultation; Art Instruction; also, Set Design; painting Still Life and Landscapes. However, this new work would be somewhat different.

In the days and months that followed, a deep concern and compassion for our country rose up within me. I was burdened. "Hi-Tech" knowledge had exalted our nation, yet as a people, we had lost our moorings. Who knew the basics...the values that had formed our Government...the Ten Commandments, the Bill of Rights, the Constitution? Who remembered that "Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom?" Appreciation for the blessing and protection of God on this country was being swept away. What of the children who have not been taught to honor God and respect these values? Our people needed to understand the link between Rights and Responsibilities. Our Constitution and form of government can only work when each citizen is self-governed by these God-given Truths. Somehow this new work would embody these thoughts...

Then suddenly and steadily...

Elements of the finished piece poured forth in unrefined form, as though being assembled like a recipe; words in between stripes, an oval frame, a parchment document with quotations, stars and stripes; portraits of our Founding Fathers, people of history, and people of today were combined; our Rights and Responsibilities and the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14, were all there. This would be an educational work, a tangible representation of these Truths, a wearable-work of art. When worn, these Truths would live and move among our people...swirling off the pages of history...into our present day lives, encouraging and inspiring to action those who already believe them, and reaching those who never knew them...or had forgotten. This work was to be presented nationally. The process of creation had begun. New Years Day 1996, I shared some sketches with our family around the dinner table.

It was obvious this would be an enormous undertaking requiring explicit wisdom and direction for the multi-level concerns; mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially. Who would silk-screen this unusual oversized work, full-color print on front, back, and long sleeves? Technical research began with shirt fabrics and styles, suppliers and silk-screeners. We received prices and samples from the shirt supplier in April. In May, we were directed to Ampro Sportswear, an excellent silk-screener, second largest in the country, able to print full length sleeves (nearly unheard of then), and only 45 minutes away. Most of the ground work had been laid. Finances would run high on a project of this dimension, (over $20,000.); where life savings were concerned, we needed absolute confirmation... from God. Drawing continued in preparation, yet to this point no major spending had taken place. Soon we would have to commit major funds toward production.

The last Saturday of June 1996, Paul and I were enjoying breakfast on the front patio. "Let My People Think" a favorite radio program with Ravi Zacharias, was just beginning. The opening statement...
"He is trying to mold you to understand your calling...He may call you to be an ARTIST...are you willing, in that setting to be the life of Christ in the midst of a dark situation?...Motivated by compassion, by the desperate need of the people...honor the call...when God writes His Word on the hearts of the people...then national revival can break out."
The rest of the message was about the "vision"; disillusionment; the need to persevere; telling the truth with sensitivity and power; the government. Now that is emphatic! "Yes Lord, I will honor the call, we will do it." Confirmations continued...

After drawing till nearly daylight in mid-July, I asked for someone to teach us more about shirts-- within hours my prayer was answered. We met a man at my friends birthday dinner who had been a shirt maker for ten years. He taught us about construction, collars, seams, stitching, fabric, knits; he gave us names, numbers, addresses; invaluable input, safeguards, advice. We could now make or select a shirt wisely, based on workmanship and quality.

Constant motivation bubbled up from within me to complete the thirty-two portraits. During August vacation 1996, we were in Cape May, N.J. again; and I was fulfilling the mission begun in my heart a year before. Much work was accomplished in our cheerful little Motor home. Pencil renderings were finished; then everything was redrawn in ink on Mylar transparency; I painted color on a second Mylar, (black line and color had to remain separate). All of this was new to me and required much concentration, but Final art was formed by placing the color transparency under the ink-drawn transparency and when put together, it worked. This process was repeated for each sleeve design and front of shirt design, in preparation for the silk-screen color separations. I did get to enjoy the beach our "last two days" in Cape May.

We returned home on Labor Day. Immediately, the text fonts were chosen and developed into the various arcs and waves, by our son-in-law, on computer. I cut and arranged them to fit the final art, then had the text produced as film positives to incorporate into the artwork. "We the People", I drew as art; "2 Chron.7:14", I applied directly onto the line art transparency. Once completed, all original artwork size 16x21, was photographed at the silk-screen production size of 14x18, to archive for safe keeping. Next, all four designs, with their line and color transparencies, were reduced to 8x10, to scan onto the SyQuest disk for the Art Department of our Silk-Screener.

Monday, November 4, 1996, all my original artwork, all the 8x10 prints, and the SyQuest disk were delivered to our Silk-Screener. What a sense of awe accompanied us on that trip. Remembering the many months of labor, research and prayer, constantly being led into new waters. Literally being carried along by the Spirit... sensing the order of details, day by day, in completely unknown territory... from designing art for full color silkscreening to Licensing with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Estate. Knowing that, "The One Who calls is Faithful, Who will also do it."

The "AMERICAN SPIRIT SHIRT" was reportedly, the most complex and challenging project Ampro Sportswear had ever produced. Nearly 20 of their most highly skilled technicians were selected to maneuver an unprecedented 34 silk-screens to create the complex color tones and multiple images. In addition, prior to production, 5 pre-production houses, 3 suppliers, and our devoted family team, were involved behind the scenes at various stages of preparation and development.

How thrilled we were to receive our first shipment of the "AMERICAN SPIRIT SHIRT," December 31,1996. On New Years Day 1997, one year after showing the first sketches, we presented the finished Product at our holiday family gathering.

Responsibilities continue, we maintain the active and secure "AMERICAN SPIRIT SHIRT WEBSITE" located at www.americanspiritshirt.com where one may view the shirt, read the Biographies and Historical Documents, ponder the symbolism of the shirt in detail, and purchase shirts through Secure Online Shopping with all Major Credit Cards.

Concerning the "foretold" reference I made in the forward; this project has been a Spiritual adventure from the beginning. Ravi's opening statement (a gripping moment for us) revealed, on that lovely sunny patio, truthes we had yet to learn, most surely we are still learning. We have been motivated by compassion, by the desperate need of the people, "My people perish for lack of knowledge." More than we ever would have expected, we've had to persevere. We've been disillusioned. We've also been delighted. We've been obedient. We've had tremendous sales, we've had few sales. We are not "sales people," just obedient. We go where we are called, when we are called. We've prayed with people for their needs. We've been filmed by CNN and NBC, just by wearing this garment; former Miss America, Cheryl Pruett Salem wore this garment on her TV show. Owners range from President G.W. Bush, Dr. James Dobson, TV Host Sean Hannity, Dr. Charles Stanley, Judge Roy Moore, Dr. D. James Kennedy, Rep. James Greenwood, PA, Sen. Rick Santorum, and the highly acclaimed US historian, David Barton. Also, hundreds of citizens now presenting "these Truthes" across our Nation using the "AMERICAN SPIRIT SHIRT."

May we each have the courage to honor our call, whatever our giftings, to make a difference in our time...as the Founding Fathers were called to make a difference in their time....

"We have given you a republic, if you can keep it." Benjamin Franklin