Edward Mitchell Bannister is one of my favorite landscape painters. He was a founding member of the Providence Art Club in 1860, a philosopher, sailor, charismatic friend, thinker, husband to Christiana Carteaux Bannister, abolitionist and amazing human being. Stumbling upon his life and work has enriched and inspired me both artistically, and personally. I brought my dream of a life-size public statue to the PAC is hopes of enlisting them as the shelter for a challenging public arts project. They accepted the challenge, and grew the idea into the embracing and far seeing legacy we all hope it will be. My goal is to bring Bannister’s presence to downtown Providence where everyone can sit with him, enjoy the city, and pick up the trail to experiencing his art, his history, and the rich histories of the communities and individuals in his orbit.