An illustration of Jackie Robinson in the exhibit “My America” at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
As the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary in 2026, the Senator John Heinz History Center has partnered with the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators (PSI) on a new exhibition exploring the meaning of freedom, justice and liberty.
The exhibit, “My America: An Illustrated Experience” is located on the museum’s fifth-floor Barensfeld Gallery and features 63 original works by 35 illustrators-each addressing the question: What Does America Mean to Me?
This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the PSI, one of the largest illustrator groups in the country.
A carefully curated collection
Anne Madarasz, the chief historian at the Heinz History Center, explained the selection process: “The PSI put out a call and ended up with 125 submissions,” she said. Jurors-including the museum’s vice president and professionals in the art, graphic design and illustration world, ranked the entries on quality and how well they told the story.
“They also wrote a statement about their intentions and the story behind the work,” Madarasz said.
The resulting collection includes a diverse range of creators-from a puzzle company illustrator, to artists specializing in oils, water colors and sculpture.
Meet the artists
Among the featured artists is Tara Zalewsky-Nease, who drew inspiration from the museum archives. She found historic photographs, sketched them and added color, then she took pictures of people at the museum and did the same.
“I draw people live-they’re 10-minute portraits so it was based on my existing business and I thought it would be interesting to apply that to people of the past. Displaying them all together showed a sense of unity-people from the past uniting with people from the present,” said Zalewsky-Nease. Those who visit the museum’s website can witness the artist at work via a video employing time-lapse photography.
Lorrie Minicozzi was another artist whose work was chosen for the exhibition. Minicozzi specializes in immersive installations melding two-dimensional fine art with large-scale contemporary sculpture. Minicozzi carved hard cast foam figures to represent Americans and symbols of American life-from a Slavic woman at Ellis Island, to the Iwo Jima flag raising and the Statue of Liberty. Minicozzi said of her sculpture: “We are not merely grains of sand scattered by the wind-we are the mountain itself, rising ever higher, built by the dreams of those who came before us and sustained by the hopes of those yet to come,” she said.
Other artists drew inspiration from their own homes and family stories. Some chose to showcase Pittsburgh icons like Fred Rogers, a figure recognizable to people of all ages, as one who represents caring and compassion, Daisy Lampkin, a suffrage-era activist and Rachel Carson, whose work helped spark the environmental movement.
Some of the illustrations represent places from Plimoth Plantation, to Pittsburgh neighborhoods, which explore the power and meaning of home and community.
Those who visit will also have the opportunity to create their own art with activities like designing a felt flag or piecing together a puzzle that reflects their own vision of America.
Part of America250
The exhibition is a component of the History Center’s year-long commemoration of the U.S. semiquincentennial, in partnership with America250PA-a statewide initiative to plan, develop and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, Pennsylvania’s role in the event and the impact of its people on the nation’s past, present and future.
“We’d like to use this anniversary to encourage people to examine the inspiring and challenging parts of our history. It’s about learning where we came from and reflecting on the question, ‘What does America mean to me?’-so we can expand on our ideals and continue working toward a more perfect union for us all,” said Madarasz.