One of the six paintings on the fence between Wally's Homemade Ice Cream Shoppe and Bangkok Cafe on Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg was taken over the weekend.

A painting titled "The Warmth of Fredericksburg" by local artist Jay D. Anderson was stolen late Saturday or early Sunday. Anderson's painting depicts a young woman sipping a hot beverage on a cold day.

The theft was reported to Fredericksburg police, and downtown art enthusiasts are hoping for the public's help in getting it back.

The other five paintings on the fence remain in place on the 800 block of Caroline Street. The 2010 art project was supported by an $8,000 grant from the Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority to Downtown Retail Marketing Inc.

--Bill Freehling