This painting was awarded Third Place in the Oil Category for the Daughters of the American Revolution — American Heritage Competition. The award will be given at their 128th Continental Congress in Washington, DC In June, 2019. The theme of the competition was ‘Honoring our Patriots with Family Stories’. The painting, ‘Prisoner Patriot John Reaches Woman at the Stream’ was accompanied by a required one-page essay describing my family’s story and my painting technique.

The story which has been handed down within my family is about Patriot John Todd during the Revolutionary War, being caught by the British, thrown on board a dreadful prison ship, and having to flee in the woods for miles until he reached the woman at the creek. Her last name was also Todd. John Todd returns to fighting under her husband, Captain Todd, and eventually was able to rejoin his own regiment. After the war he returned to the farm and married their daughter.