Topeka, KS, February 23, 2007 - When Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius looks above the computer at her desk, the bright sunny faces of Kansas’s sunflowers smile back. “I really enjoy looking up at the painting through out my day”, Governor Sebelius comments. A large impressionistic sunflower field oil painting by Lawrence Artist Debra Clemente now hangs permanently over the Governor's desk in her private office in the Kansas Capitol Building. This is the first piece of sunflower themed artwork to be part of the Kansas Governor's office permanent art collection at the Capitol or at Cedar Crest, the Governor's residence.

The Junction City Arts Council purchased the Clemente painting Sunshine Grows in Kansas, and then gifted the work to the Kansas Governor's office. Tuesday morning Junction City Mayor, Terry Heldstab, presented the painting to Governor Sebelius. “It’s like the return of an old friend,” remarked the Governor and she was delighted to accept the painting for the State of Kansas and the Governor’s office. The Clemente sunflower field painting had previously been on loan to the Governor’s office for about 7 months hanging above the Governor’s desk.

Originally the painting was part of a sunflower themed Kansas artists exhibit in the Governor's office last summer. When that exhibit was taken down in August the Governor and staff asked if the Clemente sunflower painting could be left up, as they felt as if it was meant to be there. Clemente agreed to loan the painting to the Governor's office through the inauguration in January. 

“It means so much to me”, Clemente explains, “to have my painting be part of this important collection. I’m especially honored to have Sunshine Grows in Kansas installed above the Governor’s desk. As life long Kansan, with family roots planted deep in this rich Kansas soil, I feel my painting is personal tribute to all of my ancestors who lived on and worked this land.” For more information about Debra Clemente and to see more of her work visit her on line art gallery, www.artistdeb.com           

Photo above: Artist Debra Clemente of Lawrence and Kansas Governor Kathleen
           Sebelius stand beside Clemente's oil painting titled Sunshine Grows in Kansas.