WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth, the world famous American artist with strong connections to Maine, died January 16, 2009 at the age of 91; and

WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth was born in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania on July 12, 1917, the son of artist N. C. Wyeth, who bought a summer home on Horse Point, Port Clyde, Maine in 1920, which is still owned by the Wyeth family; and

WHEREAS,  for almost 90 years the Wyeth family has spent summers in Maine, and Andrew Wyeth painted in Knox County for more than 60 years, so long that he himself became part of the summer landscape; and

WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth and Betsey James were married in 1940 and maintained their summer home in Cushing for many years, and their sons James and Nicholas have continued the family tradition of summering on the Maine coast, and have been well-known to their neighbors and friends on the coast; and

WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth developed into perhaps the best-known contemporary artist of the 20th century, focusing on realistic temperas and watercolors, and was often referred to as the "Painter of the People" due to the popularity of his work with the American public. His work is represented in all the major art museums of the world; and

WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth once remarked that Maine was "all dry bones and desiccated sinews." The State appealed to him strongly because he found simplicity here that he thought was lacking elsewhere, and his depictions of Maine seem to make it a more familiar and friendly place to everyone, even those who have never been to Maine; and

WHEREAS,  one of his most famous works of art, Christina's World, a tempera in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, was inspired and painted in Maine. The painting is considered iconic and one of the best-known images of modern art; and

WHEREAS,  as an artist, Andrew Wyeth was honored with many unique awards throughout his lifetime, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom presented to him by President John F. Kennedy in 1963. He was elected to the Academie des Beaux-Arts in 1977, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 1988, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress, and in 2007 he received the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush; and

WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth's artistic abilities have brought unique attention to Maine, especially the Farnsworth Museum of Art located in Rockland, which has an extensive collection of his artwork and papers and is a major attraction for scholars and art enthusiasts; and

WHEREAS,  Andrew Wyeth received honorary Maine citizenship. Among his numerous honorary degrees from around the nation, he received Doctorate of Fine Arts degrees from Bates College in Lewiston, Bowdoin College in Brunswick and Colby College in Waterville; and

WHEREAS,  the people of Maine are grateful for the generous support Andrew Wyeth and his family have given to the historic preservation and cultural enrichment of the State; now, therefore, be it