Come this September, maybe late in August, there will be thousands of color prints of famous art masterpieces in local schools and libraries, courtesy of a federal program to bring artwork and their stories into local communities.

Imagine quality reproductions of Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington or Winslow Homer’s The Veteran in a New Field or Mary Cassatt’s The Boating Party hanging on the walls of the Mahopac Public Library, St. Columbus School in Cortlandt, Peekskill Middle School and Viola Elementary School in Suffern — just to name some of the nearly 2,878 recipients in New York state alone.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has announced the list of libraries and schools (public and private) in the Lower Hudson Valley slated to receive NEH’s Picturing America Awards. The recipients will get large, high-quality reproductions of great American art and a comprehensive resource book (cover shown above) to facilitate the use of the works of art in core subjects.

Check out the Web Site (linked above) to find all the community names, but they include: Ardsley, Bedford, Carmel, Cold Spring, New Rochelle, Nanuet, Mount Vernon, New City and Piermont.

Picturing America is presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in collaboration with the American Library Association.

Program details:

The goal is to bring masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. “Through this innovative program, students and citizen will gain a deeper appreciation of our country’s history and character through the study and understanding of its art,” says promotional NEH materials.

“By bringing high-quality reproductions of notable American art into public and private schools, libraries, and communities, Picturing America gives participants the opportunity to learn about our nation’s history and culture in a fresh and engaging way. The program uses art as a catalyst for the study of America—the cultural, political, and historical threads woven into our nation’s fabric over time,” the release continues.

The schools and public libraries selected will receive on or about Sept. 4, 2008, a set of 20 laminated reproductions (approximately 24” x 36”) with reproductions on each side. They also will receive a Teachers Resource Book. No cost sharing is required.