By John Woodford
Paintings and color photographs by Lin Baum

Haunted by mass media images of children caught up in Nicaragua's civil war, Lin Baum traveled with art supplies to Nicaragua in 1985 "to find out for myself what was happening there and not rely on the news media."

Although she drew and painted in Nicaragua, Baum wasn't pleased with the results. Nevertheless, that experience was informative enough to encourage the 1972 alumna of the School of Art and Design to save up for similar journeys. Over the next 17 years she perfected her mobile, makeshift studio techniques in trips to the Thai-Cambodian border, West Belfast, Mozambique and the Palestinian communities in Israel's Occupied Territories.

A Palestinian boy in his home in Gaza. 'Children collect the paraphernalia of war and use them as real war toys. The collect and play with them the way kids here collect Pokemon cards,' Baum says. Gaza Boy, by Lin Baum, oil on linen 30x36 in., 1989.