One People, One Planet, HON!

Garland Appeal Poster

2005, poster, colored pencil and pen and ink, 22 1/8” x 18”

Bob Hieronimus designed this poster for a breast cancer awareness fundraiser that was organized to honor his wife, Zohara Meyerhoff Hieronimus, and her two decades of service with the Ruscombe Mansion Community Health Center. In late 2004 they learned that Zohara and Ruscombe had been awarded the prestigious Garland Appeal Award from the organization founded by Sir Paul McCartney in memory of his wife Linda McCartney. The American organizers admired the pioneering work of Zoh Hieronimus in founding and directing the largest independent holistic health care center on the East Coast. Ruscombe Mansion provides integrative and complimentary medicine for patients of all ages, including preventive wellness for men and women, and alternative cancer treatments of various kinds. (www.Ruscombe.org)

The event took place on March 18, 2005 at Shriver Hall at the Johns Hopkins University and included films, an informal concert by Bob Grimm, a photo exhibit by Stuart Zolotorow, and a memorabilia auction of collectibles donated by Dr. Hieronimus. Special guests included Louise Harrison, sister of Beatle George Harrison, and Steve Boone, bass player of the Lovin’ Spoonful. They raised over $30,000, which was dedicated to several different projects supporting the early detection of breast cancer.

The flowing rainbow text is the central focus of this poster, designed in the old psychedelic poster style as homage to the Beatles-themed event. The rainbow coloration is symbolic of “out of many one.” From one single light comes many colors, and we are all one. At the heart of the design is a stylized photograph of Linda McCartney, who was the inspiration for this series of fundraisers. A vegetarian and ardent animal-lover, Linda died of breast cancer in April 1998 at the age of 56. She had worked extensively for PETA, Friends of the Earth, and other causes highlighting environmental dangers. Sir Paul’s statement issued after her death wondered, “How many women can you think of who would single-handedly take on opponents like the meat and livestock commission, risk being laughed at, and yet succeed?” In January 2000 Sir Paul announced donations in excess of $2,000,000 for cancer research at facilities in Tucson and New York where Linda had received treatment. He then set in motion a series of fundraisers across America saying, “I pray that through A Garland for Linda, the Garland Appeal can achieve its worthwhile goals to the benefit of music, musicians and cancer sufferers everywhere.”

At the top center of the poster is one of the few “standard” Hieronimus symbols used in this piece. It is a UFO in front of the word “Fundraiser.” The two flags at the top left and right represent the two nations participating in the Garland series of fundraisers. The British Union Jack is on the right, and for the American flag, Hieronimus chose one of our earliest flag designs that incorporated stripes in all three colors of red, white, and blue, plus six-pointed stars. At the bottom of the poster on the left and right are the symbols and logos of the organizations that sponsored the event, the AUM Esoteric Study Center, the Garland Appeal USA, the Ruscombe Mansion, the Center for Social Concern (CSC), and the Caitlin Foundation. The two views of the painted VW bus on either side at the center of the poster are of Hieronimus's most famous artcar, best known simply as “the Woodstock Bus.” The original name for this bus was “Light,” and just like the rainbow, the main symbolic message on this bus was that We Are One.