We the People

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Mary Whyte’s Groundbreaking Series Honoring Veterans

For seven years, internationally renowned artist Mary Whyte traveled the country sketching, photographing and interviewing along the way. Her mission: to paint 50 large-scale watercolor portraits of present-day American veterans—one from each and every state.

*America* (watercolor on paper, 40 x 53) Kella, U.S. Army, 1986–1988

“We the People: Portraits of Veterans in America” is Whyte’s remarkable series depicting military veterans of all ages, from all walks of life. Portraits of a Pennsylvania science teacher, a South Carolina single mother, a Missouri dairy farmer and scores of others make up a showcase of real people, with real stories, that’s both powerful and timeless. Whyte’s exhibition opened at the City Gallery, in Charleston, S.C., in 2019, and continues to travel to various museum locations around the country.

The multifaceted project includes a book, We the People (University of South Carolina Press). It also inspired the founding of a new nonprofit, Patriot Art Foundation. The organization seeks to honor veterans, provide support as they return to civilian life, and connect them to healing resources through art.

Eventually, Whyte hopes to find a permanent home for the series. “The ultimate goal is to keep all of the paintings together on permanent exhibition,” she says. “I just want a place where veterans can come in and look and say, ‘I mattered.’”

Flurries (watercolor on paper, 29 x 41) Dogie, U.S. Navy, 1943–1946

Homeland (watercolor on paper, 27.5 x 40) Renee, U.S. Marines, 1987–1991

Evolution (watercolor on paper, 28.75 x 32.5) Richard, U.S. Navy, 1986–2008

About the Artist

Mary Whyte is an award-winning figurative watercolorist known for her portraits of contemporary people. Her works are in private, corporate, university and public collections nationwide, and have been featured in numerous media outlets including CBS Sunday Morning, PBS and NPR. She’s the author of seven books, and her work has been showcased in several international publications, including periodicals and books in China, Russia, France, Germany and Canada. The artist founded the Patriot Art Foundation, in 2019, to honor and inspire veterans through the arts.

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