This week as we sit by the river we’re welcoming, Mary Whyte, author and artist of her new book, We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America. Whyte is an American figurative artist most known for her water colors of contemporary people. She is known internationally and has been featured in international publications and periodicals. She was one of the ten artists worldwide invited to attend and showcase her work in Nanning, Guangxi, China. Her beautiful portraits exhibit timeless class and brilliancy while maintaining prominent messages of the people she paints.
Mary Whyte shares her story of finding veterans in each 50 states, and painting them after their service to America. She found veterans as young as 20 and as old as 94 years old. She wanted to highlight all ages, all backgrounds, and all branches of the military. Her journey and field work took seven years to conclude. She also kept her project a secret throughout her time spent working on her book. She found that her best resources in scouting these veterans were small town mayors. On top of meeting the veterans and getting to know their stories, she took pictures to remember the finer details of these men and women. Mary Whyte’s story and dedication to her book, artwork, and the veterans of our country leave us inspired and grateful to hear their stories.
