059HOME OF THE BRAVEopens, and a documentary is in the works.
“We’re actually about to leave for a drive along the
East Coast, and we’ll be revealing portraits to four
veterans and getting their reactions and their family’s
reactions,” Whyte says. “We are starting in South
Carolina and will end up in Maine.”
During the first two nights of the exhibition’s opening
weekend, there will be a unique experience with the
Charleston Symphony Orchestra, which combines
the visuals of Whyte’s paintings with a performance
of classical and contemporary American tunes. The
second night several of the paintings’ subjects will
be in attendance, and they’ll be honored the next day
with a brunch on the USS Yorktown, a World War II-era
aircraft carrier anchored in Charleston Harbor.
The seven-year project spurred Whyte to create
the Patriot Art Foundation, which has worked to raise
money to bring each of the veterans painted to the
opening celebration as well as find a permanent home
for the exhibition so that the American public can
continue to appreciate the subjects and their sacrificefor many years to come.
Additionally, the foundation will also raise funds
for an outreach program so veterans can find a way
to express themselves through art, helping to soothe
common mental health issues like PTSD. “We are part-
nering with The Citadel, which is the military academy
here in Charleston, to do just that,” Whyte explains.
“We want to have initiatives that reach out to veterans
both locally and nationally.”
We The People will remain on view through
December 22, and from there it will travel to several
venues throughout the United States.MARY WHYTE: WE THE PEOPLE:
PORTRAITS OF VETERANS IN AMERICA
When: October 25-December 22, 2019
Where: City Gallery, 34 Prioleau Street, Charleston, SC 29401
Information: (843) 870-0430, http://www.patriotartfoundation.org5
Counter Balance,
watercolor on paper,
305�8 x 38½"6
Driftwood, watercolor
on paper, 27¾ x 40¾"7
Hauling, watercolor on
paper, 24½ x 29"
7