Images of paintings created by a hidden child during the Holocaust era will be on display at Art Downtown this April as
\n\nthe Hanover Area Arts Guild presents Imagining a Better World: The Artwork of Nelly Toll.
\n\nThe exhibit opens April 4 and can be seen during regular gallery hour at Art Downtown\, 32 Carlisle St.\, Hanover.
\n\nIt continues through April 29.
\n\nIn 1943\, a sympathetic Christian family hid Nelly Zygmunt and her mother from the Nazis in Lwow\, Poland. In
\n\nthe next year\, Nelly created five dozen brightly colored\, detailed watercolor dreams of her ideal world. Those
\n\ncreations are in stark contrast to other artwork by Holocaust children\, depictions that often are dark and
\n\nforeboding.
\n\nThe family that sheltered Nelly and her mother bricked over an outside window opening and placed a decorative
\n\nrug over the interior. When visitors came to the apartment\, the Zygmunts had to stand on the ledge of their secret
\n\nwindow to escape detection.
\n\nAfter World War II\, Nelly came to the United States. What began as an escape with the watercolor set her mother
\n\ngave her became her career. She earned a master&rsquo\;s degree in art and art history and education from Rutgers
\n\nUniversity. She also attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia and received a doctorate from the
\n\nUniversity of Pennsylvania. Toll has published three books on the Holocaust and related art.
\n\nToday\, she lives in New Jersey with her husband\, Ervin.
\n\n&ldquo\;Nelly dared to dream\, imagining a better world that manifested in her creation of nearly 60 watercolor
\n\npaintings\,&rdquo\; said Alexandra Nicholis Coon\, executive director of the Massillon Museum\, which has organized the
\n\ntraveling exhibit. &ldquo\;This exhibition will present\, for visitors\, selected images of her journey of hope and
\n\nimagination.&rdquo\;
\n\nImagining a Better World: The Artwork of Nelly Toll is organized by the Massillon Museum\, Massillon\, Ohio\,
\n\nwith support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
\n LOCATION:Art Downtown The gallery of the Hanover Area Arts Guild 32 Carlisle St. Hanover\, Pa. 17331 Just steps off the Square in historic Hanover UID:e.1500.2506 SEQUENCE:3 DTSTAMP:20260421T184818Z URL:https://business.mainstreethanover.org/events/details/imagining-a-better-world-the-art-of-nelly-toll-2506 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR