As Americans celebrate Independence Day and the nation’s 250th birthday, patriotic artist Scott LoBaido is creating what he says is the largest oil painting of the American flag on canvas in the United States as thousands of visitors watch each day at the Great American State Fair’s Made in America Pavilion on the National Mall, paying tribute to Old Glory and the ideals it represents.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, LoBaido said the project, titled Forever, commemorates America’s Semiquincentennial while honoring the service members, veterans, first responders, and generations of Americans whose sacrifices safeguarded the nation’s freedoms.
“As our nation celebrates its 250th birthday, this milestone carries profound meaning for me,” LoBaido said.
“Very few generations have the privilege of commemorating a quarter millennium of American independence, and I do not take that responsibility for granted. It is a time to reflect on the courage, sacrifice, and vision of those who built the greatest nation in the history of the world, while recommitting ourselves to preserving the freedoms and opportunities they secured,” he said.
“Celebrating America’s 250th birthday is not just about honoring our past. It is about ensuring that the American Dream remains alive and strong for generations yet to come.”
The 9-foot-by-17-foot work has been taking shape before the public since the Great American State Fair opened June 25, allowing visitors to watch Forever emerge brushstroke by brushstroke during one of the nation’s premier America 250 celebrations. Fair organizers expect hundreds of thousands of visitors to experience the project in person, with millions more following its progress through television, digital platforms, and news coverage.
LoBaido described Forever as the most ambitious patriotic work of his career, capping more than three decades spent honoring the American flag, military service members, veterans, first responders, and the ideals of freedom through his art. Although he has completed massive patriotic murals across the country, he said this is his largest and most technically demanding oil painting.
“For the last 35 years, every day has been July Fourth for me,” LoBaido said. “People have asked me for years why I keep painting the American flag. My answer has always been the same. I paint it because of what generations of Americans sacrificed to preserve for all of us.”
Although LoBaido is widely known for his patriotic artwork and outspoken conservative activism, he said Forever is intended to transcend politics.
“The American flag does not belong to any particular party,” he said. “It belongs to every American. That’s what I’ve seen here every day. People from different backgrounds and different political beliefs have stopped to talk—not about politics—but about America, what this anniversary means, and what the flag represents.”
LoBaido said one of the central messages behind Forever is that the Stars and Stripes symbolize the constitutional freedoms enjoyed by every American, including those with whom he may disagree.
Paintings by Scott LoBaido on display at the Great American State Fair. Religious themes were apparent throughout the fair. Organized by President Donald Trump to mark the United States’ 250th birthday, the Fair had exhibits from many states, government agencies, and private organizations.. (Photo by: Jim West/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
“I’ve protested many times in my life, and I respect the right of other Americans to peacefully protest even when I disagree with them,” he said. “But when I protest, I carry the American flag because it’s the flag that gives me that right. That’s why I paint it. It’s not just a painting to me. It’s my way of saying thank you to the men and women who sacrificed so people like me can enjoy those freedoms.”
As he has worked on the painting, LoBaido has spent nearly as much time greeting visitors as painting, posing for photographs, meeting veterans, and speaking with families who have stopped to watch the work come together.
“Seeing families come through here, seeing children look at the painting, and meeting veterans who understand what the flag represents—that’s been the greatest reward,” he said. “This isn’t about me. It’s about reminding people what this country has given all of us.”
LoBaido said one of the most meaningful aspects of creating Forever has been watching visitors from every background set politics aside to reflect on the country’s shared history as it marks its 250th anniversary.
“People know my politics, and that’s fine,” LoBaido said. “But when they walk into this pavilion, that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about America. We’re talking about the flag. We’re talking about what this country has given us. The American flag doesn’t belong to Republicans or Democrats. It belongs to every American, and that’s exactly what I’ve seen here every single day.”
As the painting nears completion, visitors have increasingly asked where it will ultimately reside.
LoBaido said no final decision has been made, though he hopes the painting ultimately finds a permanent home worthy of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“I want it somewhere the American people can continue to enjoy it,” he said. “This painting belongs to America. Wherever it ends up, I hope it reminds future generations what this anniversary was all about.”
Earlier this year, Breitbart News reported on LoBaido’s campaign to permanently install a towering American flag at Ground Zero ahead of America’s 250th birthday. The proposal attracted support from billionaire entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis, who publicly pledged to finance the project, as well as families of September 11 victims and other supporters who viewed the installation as a lasting tribute to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks and the first responders who answered the call.
For LoBaido, Forever is the latest chapter in a decades-long mission to celebrate the American flag and the ideals he believes have defined the United States since its founding.
“I’ve always believed the American flag is the greatest work of art ever created,” LoBaido said. “I didn’t create it—I’m simply celebrating it. Every time I paint the flag, it’s my thank-you note to the men and women who sacrificed, and who continue to sacrifice, so people like me can enjoy the freedoms we often take for granted. If this painting reminds even one young person what that flag represents, then every brushstroke, every hour, and every sacrifice that went into creating it will have been worth it.”
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.