Visionaries of Freedom

Artist: Lisa Chase

Oil on canvas

40 x 60 inches

We recently unveiled a new painting at the Czech Heritage Museum. Local artist Lisa Chase painted the 40x60-inch oil on canvas as a gift to the Museum. The painting honors two historic Czech figures, Tomás Masaryk, first president of Czechoslovakia and Václav Havel, first president of independent Czechoslovakia after communism and first president of the Czech Republic.

It has been very touching to see the reactions of visitors from the Czech Republic. More than once I have seen tears.

We are very grateful for this exquisite gift from Lisa Chase. Her skill and talent for painting portraits is rare. The painting provides a fitting symbol of the timeless hope of freedom. It threads the story of the early Czech immigrants to Texas through historical eras and peoples around the globe and back home again. It is a beautiful centerpiece for our Museum.

Artist Statement

I am a lifelong self-taught artist. I have spent the majority of my work in portraits and was very pleased to be able to provide this portrait of Masaryk and Havel for my friends here at the Czech Heritage Museum.

 I was brought up with a strong sense of pride in our nation, and taught appreciation for the prices paid for our freedoms. We as Americans have never had to suffer the loss of them, as did the homelands of these freedom fighters here.

 America is now being seduced by the siren call of socialism, and hit on virtually every front to buy into it through promises of equality and utopia. Our liberties that over time have been undermined and slowly chiseled down are now being blatantly and aggressively attacked with the speed of a river headed toward a waterfall. To the people who know the history of oppression through communism and socialism, these are very very loud warning bells of the last steps into enslavement.

 My appreciation for the courage of these two men who stepped in to the battle against these odds for the love of their country is personal, and it was a complete privilege to be able to have the opportunity to honor them with this portrait.