Mr. Rogers, Child Advocate

Hope Wilmarth

50 x 30 inches

2019

ARTIST STATEMENT

Children loved Mr. Rogers. They were convinced that he loved them, too. Everyday he looked directly at them, saying, “I love you just the way you are.” I did not know Fred Rogers. It is said that his T.V. persona mirrored his life. He wanted children to feel worthy and loved just as they were. He spread kindness. Of his many traits, his passion for spreading kindness impacted me most. Heroes are perceived as physically strong. Fred Rogers’ ability to convey his gentle heart without agenda made him a role model for my children and a hero to me.

MATERIALS

Recycled mens pants, shirt, tie, and shoelaces, hand-knitted cotton sweater, cotton fabric, non-woven substrate, acrylic paint

Machine piecing, machine appliqué, hand-knitting, machine quilting