[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 2283] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING MR. PAUL COLLINS ______ HON. HENRY J. HYDE of illinois in the house of representatives Tuesday, February 28, 2006 Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the last day of Black History Month to commend the works of a great African-American artist, Mr. Paul Collins of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. Collins has had a long and distinguished career painting portraits of individuals from all over the world. It has been said that Mr. Collins' work seeks to recognize and express the essential human dignity and worth of others. Mr. Collins' talent has been awarded and recognized internationally on numerous occasions, and he has been commissioned by several foreign governments as well as the U.S. to commemorate important people and events. One of Paul Collins' most celebrated works is the 18-foot by 8-foot mural of Grand Rapids native, President Gerald R. Ford, displayed in the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Mr. Collins was awarded the mural commission in 1975. His finished product captures the various facets of President Ford's life as a husband, father and athlete. Upon its unveiling, the mural attracted national attention and critical acclaim and was applauded by Newsweek Magazine for its strong and dignified presentation of Gerald R. Ford. Mr. Collins is believed to be the first African-American artist to paint the portrait of a sitting president. In 1981, Mr. Collins created the Ford Museum Commemorative Poster which was copied from the mural to help raise funds for the Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. More than 1,000 posters were sold to help raise funds for the museum. Also of note among Mr. Collin's lifetime achievements is the groundbreaking success and importance of his work, The Voices of Israel, conceived in the 1970s as a way to help renew the relationship between America's Black and Jewish communities during the civil rights movement. The work depicts the history of the people of Israel. This 25 piece collection has toured in Israel and all over the U.S. Mr. Collins has also made good use of his excellent artistic skill to create symbols and designs, whose meanings and importance extend beyond his actual works. In this regard, Mr. Collins designed the Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Prize Medal, which is awarded yearly to an individual who has contributed to the cause of world peace. This important symbol has been awarded to such notable people as former President Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the late Rosa Parks. Similarly, Collins also created the American Woman Commemorative Plaque, honoring astronaut Sally Ride, the first woman in space. Throughout his long and distinguished career, Mr. Paul Collins has deservedly received many awards and honors. A few of his many distinctions include the Tadlow Fine Art Award, the People's Choice Award in Paris, and his election as one of the top 20 painters in America as voted by the Watson and Guptill Publication. It is right, then, that we continue to honor the artist and the individual, Paul Collins. Mr. Collins' works, in a nod to his skill and ability to capture the essence of human characteristics and spirit, have been commissioned to represent and symbolize some of the most important figures and events in this country. Mr. Collins' work as an artist is matched only by his contributions as a humanitarian, as evidenced through his continued service as a teacher and lecturer in Michigan area schools on the value of art and his life experiences, the establishment of his own scholarship programs, and the creation of the Paul Collins Humanitarian Award in 2000. Through his own merit, dedication and long and distinguished career of success, Paul Collins has assuredly gained a position of honor and distinction in our country. ____________________