The Works of Mercy; The Works of War, by Rita Corbin

Artist, illustrator, and muralist Rita Corbin (1930–2011) brought together her passion for the arts and for justice when Dorothy Day asked her to provide illustrations for the Catholic Worker. She went on to illustrate other books and periodicals and used her artwork to support the message of such organizations as the War Resisters League while keeping ties with Catholic Worker communities. According to one account of her life, she was once asked in an interview, “Do you believe the artist has a social responsibility?” She responded, “Everyone has a social responsibility.”