Mary Whyte’s heart-stirring watercolors evoke the dignity and diversity of those who serve. Catch a glimpse of We The People: Portraits of Veterans in America.
A firefighter removes his helmet to cool off. A young construction worker balances a beam on her shoulder. A great-grandmother settles in to share her story. They come from all walks of life but have one thing in common: They are veterans depicted in acclaimed watercolorist Mary Whyte’s rousing collection We The People: Portraits of Veterans in America. Fifty of the artist’s large-scale portraits are collected in a book of the same name and are the subject of a major exhibition at the Booth Western Art Museum.
“I do believe that our veterans are our greatest patriots,” says Whyte, who worked on the project for seven years. “Anyone willing to lay down their life for our country — that’s what truly makes a person most American.” From a science teacher and a single mother to a stablehand and an astronaut, the veterans, one from each state, represent every branch of the military. Rendered with a remarkable intimacy and intensity, the patriotic portraits reflect the courage of what Whyte calls these “hidden heroes.”
Dogie (Navy), a New Mexico rancher, in Flurries.
The emotions they express are as diverse as their ages, races, and occupations. Kella With Horn (Army, SP4, 1986 – 88) from South Dakota gazes skyward in triumph in the piece America, resplendent in her handmade Lakota regalia. In Flurries, New Mexico rancher Dogie (Navy, Seaman First Class, 1943 – 46) contemplates the coming snowfall with calm acceptance, his canine companion by his side. Some veterans have sacrificed their physical and mental health; others have become activists or returned to public service. All tell a personal story that touches the truth of what it means to serve — and what it means to be an American.
“We can only be deeply grateful, inspired, and humbled by all of them,” Whyte says. “It’s my hope that this exhibition will give rise to a greater sense of gratitude for our military.”
Kella With Horn (Army) in America.
WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America is on view from July 6 to November 16, 2024, at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. Signed hardcover editions of the exhibit book by Mary Whyte (University of South Carolina Press) can be ordered online at boothmuseum.org. All royalties benefit the Patriot Art Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Whyte that provides free art supplies and instruction to veterans.
From our July 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of the artist