September 20, 2010

During the dark days of the Depression, the U.S. government initiated a public art program designed to raise the spirits of the American people by reminding them of the glorious past. The works of art created for this program were displayed in local post offices. Twenty-one pieces of art, nineteen of which were paintings, were created for Arkansas post offices. Malvern (Hot Spring County) native Natalie Henry was one of only two Arkansas resident artists to participate in the program. Her 1940 oil on canvas titled Local Industries was displayed in Springdale (Benton County). The painting later became part of the collection of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History.