What Is ART?

Art Rejects Tyranny (ART) is a collaborative creative project to inspire people to create something out of the destruction being wrought in Washington. It's distinct from the noble calls to protest, boycott, or resist. Instead, ART issues an invitation to artists and non-artists alike to give voice and form to what is in our hearts – to grieve, to dream, to confront the darkness, to reject tyranny – by creating art.

We don’t mean ART for billionaire collectors. We mean ART of the people, by the people, for the people. ART includes, but is not limited to:

  • Painting

  • Drawing

  • Choreographing or Performing a Dance

  • Taking Photographs

  • Making a Film or Video

  • Quilting

  • Scrapbooking

  • Making a collage

  • Writing Poetry

  • Writing or Performing a Play

  • Sculpting

  • Embroidering

  • Cultivating a Garden or Landscape

  • Baking

  • Printmaking

  • Making Pottery

Meet the ART Team

Art Rejects Tyranny was a project conceived by a group of local activists over coffee. The group started imagining ways that ordinary people could express opposition to the tyrannical authoritarian policies being asserted by the federal government. Throughout history, art has been a powerful way to reawaken people’s humanity. We decided to create a space for art to fill that role today, in our community. We hope artists and non-artists alike will respond to the call to create something out of the destruction happening all around us. Now it’s your turn to join the team.

Patricia Oris lives in Kent, CT with her husband and their very big dog, Luca.

In the course of her career in communication and design, Patricia pioneered the practice of Environmental Branding, a multi-discipline design process that brings the essence of a brand to life in physical spaces. Her projects have won international awards and been featured in design publications.

Here in the Northwest Corner, Patricia devotes her time and professional skills to grassroots organizing. The idea for ART: Art Rejects Tyranny grew out of the grassroots, was inspired by a Maxine Hong Kingston quote written in an old notebook, and was fueled on a cold winter morning over coffee with a group of friends who shared a common interest in creating a forum for free expression in oppressive times.

Jennifer Ventimilia is a veteran writer of both television and feature films, as well as an accomplished TV producer. Her credits include: The Simpsons, Murphy Brown, That ‘70s Show, Surviving Christmas, Rio, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) and Raising Dion. She’s been nominated for two Daytime Emmys. She is a firm believer that art, especially comedy, has an unparalleled ability to illuminate uncomfortable truths about the human condition.

I'm Howard Pulchin-Ramos, nonprofit advocate, dog parent and a married man -- ever since I moved to CT 15 years ago. During the past few months I've felt fears that I haven't since I came out of the closet, yet also discovered the power which comes from community and "doing."  I've learned to cling tightly to books, movies and art that speaks to what we're experiencing, finding power in the storytelling and displays of  humanity. From our first concept discussion, ART brought me joy, inspired us to work toward change and reminds me daily about what we are fighting for. 

This artwork is "Monumental." In the days leading up to its removal, I happened to be in Washington, DC and knew I had to see the BLM words on 16th Street, leading to the White House, for a final time. While a statement vs a structure, to me, this was more than a symbol; it was truly monumental.  And a representation of what we can be and what we seem to be losing. The clouds and the sky are sort of like that, too.  Do they represent anger or hope?

Jill Drew lives in Sharon, CT with her husband and cat, Mama Cass.

Jill is a community organizer who also manages a small documentary film company. She spent most of her career as a newspaper journalist at New York Newsday and The Washington Post. The thing she loved most about journalism was interviewing people about their lives, giving them a forum to tell their stories. She loves community organizing for a similar reason: It is a way of supporting actions that celebrate our glorious diversity and respect for all living beings. She viscerally experienced art as celebration and catharsis when she attended the Burning Man festival in 2023. She sees Art Rejects Tyranny as an invitation to creative freedom - part primal scream, part exquisite expression.

Daniela Larsson is an organizer, advocate, and creative with nearly a decade of experience in nonprofit work, campaign management, and event planning. Her background spans volunteer recruitment, community building, advocacy, and project management, all grounded in a deep commitment to justice and collective empowerment. She is passionate about creating spaces where people feel heard, empowered, and respected, with a passion for the arts as a form of activism. Daniela believes that art is a powerful language of resistance and remembrance. It can be a way to paint the unseen, echo the unheard, and transform silence into a canvas of collective voice and truth. When not working, Daniela can be found spending time with her friends, family and her dog, Todd.

I’m Lee Greenhouse. I spent my career as a businessperson, working primarily on product and marketing strategy for companies across a wide range of industries. Time and again, I saw that even the most brilliant strategy cannot succeed unless all critical resources are aligned and focused on executing it. In our perilous times, art is one of the essential forces that can—and should—be directed toward the urgent mission of turning back the current reign of tyranny. On a recent visit with my grandchildren to the Street Art Museum in Amsterdam, I witnessed art’s power to cut through noise and complexity. When words fall short, art can speak with clarity and emotional force. Where text explains, art reveals. More than that, art brings people together—unifying them around shared ideas, feelings, and movements.