Community Corner

Newtown Artist Paints for Fallen Soldier Pedersen-Keel, Reflects on Sandy Hook Tragedy

Newtown artist Jim Chillington painted this tribute to Madison's Capt. Andrew Pedersen-Keel, showing the iconic flagpole flying half-staff. The fallen soldier was buried in Guilford yesterday morning at St. George's.

The flagpole at the center of Newtown has flown half-staff in honor of Capt. Andrew Pedersen-Keel of Madison. On Monday, there was a funeral mass in Guilford and he was buried in Arlington Cemetery Wednesday.

Artist Jim Chillington painted this scene, which he presented to the funeral home handling Capt. Pedersen-Keel's services.

Chillington wrote this message to accompany the work:

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"Dear Family and Friends of Captain Andrew Pedersen-Keel, please know that we are grieving your loss here in Newtown. After the recent tragedy in Sandy Hook I felt the need to be out in the local landscape creating paintings of our beautiful town.  On 3-13-13, I set out for my 5th local landscape painting, a 2' x 6' canvas in hand and heading for one of our towns most recognizable sights 'The Flagpole' that stands tall on the crest of a rise in the center of Main Street in the center of Historic Newtown.

When I saw the flag again at half staff I immediately thought about the 26 lives lost here. It wasn't until later that day I learned about the man that was killed defending our freedom far from home in Afghanistan. The painting is now complete on the 11th day under half-staff and hope it will tell of a great man, 28 years of age, that gave his life on 3-11-13  serving the people of this great country in protecting the freedoms we enjoy as well as the lives lost here in Newtown on 12-14-12."

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For more of Chillington's work, visit his website.


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