CELEBRATE OUR COUNTRY'S HIDDEN HEROES WITH
WE THE PEOPLE: PORTRAITS OF VETERANS IN AMERICA
A SPECIAL NATIONAL EXHIBIT FROM
INTERNATIONALLY-RENOWNED ARTIST MARY WHYTE
Seven Years in the Making, the Exhibit Which Opens with a Gala Celebration October 25-27 in Charleston, South Carolina, Features Fifty Large-Scale Watercolor Portraits of Veterans of All Ages and Walks - One from Every State
Charleston, SC, (May 22, 2019)
- In 2010, internationally renowned artist Mary Whyte set out on an inspirational seven-year mission to paint fifty large scale watercolor portraits of current day American veterans. WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America is Whyte's remarkable series depicting military veterans of all ages and in all walks of life. Images including a Missouri dairy farmer, Rhode Island lobsterman, Pennsylvania science teacher, South Carolina single mother, and 46 other moving portraits will be showcased together - culminating in a timeless portrait of and for the American people.
The national exhibition of WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America will launch with a weekend of festivities from October 25-27 in Charleston, South Carolina. The fifty portraits, which Medal of Honor recipient Major General James E. Livingston called, "a moving and important tribute to our nation's greatest patriots," will be on display at the City Gallery through December 22, 2019. The gala weekend, which will include the veterans depicted in the paintings as special guests, will also feature a brunch for 400 on the USS Yorktown and two premiere concerts with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, performing original world premiere works created specifically to honor veterans and celebrate the portraits. In addition, there will be an accompanying art book from The University of South Carolina Press, which will be released to retail in conjunction with the exhibit.
Additional details for WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America:
https://www.patriotartfoundation.org/exhibition.php
"When I undertook this project to paint the face of America, what began as an exercise to create fifty portraits turned into an all-consuming mission to uphold and honor the hidden heroes of our country," says Whyte. "We the People is not only a tour across and through these vast United States, it is a tour through the heart and soul, the duty and the commitment of the people who protect not only our Constitution and our country but our very lives. We can only be deeply grateful, inspired, and humbled by all of them, and it's my hope that WE THE PEOPLE give rise to a greater sense of gratitude for our military, as well as to inspire people to reach for what is possible."
To assist with the exhibition, as well as build a national organization with the mission to honor veterans through art, Whyte founded the Patriot Art Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit. Initially,
the foundation, whose supporters are comprised of veterans, military leaders, business leaders, educators and artists and partner organizations including The Citadel, The University of South Carolina Press and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra, is seeking donations to support both the exhibit and to create a permanent WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America Museum and Center in the Carolina Lowcountry. The museum will be a home for all 50 of Whyte's portraits reflecting the diversity of this country. Additionally, under the direction of Whyte and in partnership with certified art therapists, the Center aspires to be the premiere destination for innovative art therapy services that assist veterans who may be coping with physical or emotional issues resulting from their tours of duty. The Patriot Art Foundation's website is
https://www.patriotartfoundation.org.
About Mary Whyte
Mary Whyte is an artist and author whose watercolor paintings have earned international recognition. Her works have been exhibited nationally as well as in China and have been featured in numerous publications stateside and in France, Germany, Russia, Canada, China, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan. Whyte is the author of two books published by The University of South Carolina Press-Working South: Paintings and Sketches by Mary Whyte and Down Bohicket Road: An Artist's Journey. She is also the author of Alfreda's World, Painting Portraits and Figures in Watercolor, An Artist's Way of Seeing, and Watercolor for the Serious Beginner. Whyte is the recipient of the Portrait Society of America's Gold Medal and the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award, South Carolina's highest honor in the arts.
About the Patriot Art Foundation
The mission of the Patriot Art Foundation is to seek
a better world for our veterans through initiatives in art, history, education, leadership and imagination. The Foundation is organizing a working board of veterans, military leaders, business leaders, educators and artists. Partner organizations currently include The Citadel, the University of South Carolina Press and the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
The Patriot Art Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) whose mission is to honor and serve veterans through art and educational initiatives.
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FOR WE THE PEOPLE ASSETS, CLICK HERE
Bunker / Dennis / Carmel, California / Army, 1973-1975
Counter Balance / Joanie / Houston, Texas / Army, 2008-2016
Flurries / Dogie / Watrous, New Mexico / Navy, 1943-1946
