About the Artist

PAMELA PATRICK WHITE

I have always felt a deep sensitivity towards the people, places and events of 18th Century America. The stories of these events help us reconnect with the past and understand how our country was formed. From the early years of the French and Indian War to the end of the American Revolutionary War, individuals wrote in their diaries and shared letters with information that would later provide details and emotions for historic painters such as myself to paint from. These written descriptions have led me to become involved in living history as a reenactor. To be able to immerse myself in historic events have allowed me to feel some of what my subjects experienced. To eat the same foods, use the same utensils, to wear similar clothing & sleep in the same environment at the original sites have created a familiarity that no amount of reading could give me.  The air becomes salty when cannon are shot, one gets used to a sweaty wool uniform, sleeping in a tent becomes second nature, the camaraderie of an evening campfire, are experiences that have become lost in our society, along with so much of our past, which is why I finally decided to paint history. Painting military and Colonial history, Native Woodland Indians, and American culture allows me to show a well rounded view of the 18th Century in the original 13 states. The ultimate intent of this collection will be to  create an online gallery of visual history for teachers and non-profit organizations to use and as an  inspirational teaching tool.

BRYANT WHITE

 I have been an artist as long as I can remember. I realize how fortunate I am to have known what I wanted to do as a profession for most of my life. I have been interested in 18th Century American History for most of my life as well. These two passions are combined in my paintings. Reading first person accounts, diaries, journals, and publications of the 18th Century are what inspire me to create this artwork. The remarkable experiences of our ancestors are what I try to capture on canvas... The hardships, the joys, the lesser known stories that we can all learn from. I have visited all of the sites that I have painted, which gives me a great perspective, being able to stand in the same place as our forefathers have, and in many cases, to have the same view. So many things have changed since the Colonial times; I try to be as accurate as possible in the material culture shown in my work by studying period artifacts in museums and private collections. My artwork is created for several reasons. My primary reason is to educate the public in the history of America...to draw them into our past, where they may learn. An axiom of many historians is “ those who don’t know their past are doomed to repeat it’s mistakes”. I hope my artwork will inspire generations to avoid those mistakes made by gaining interest in history. Another reason of course, is deep desire to create. The process can sometimes be tedious, with many hours devoted to research, sketches, and finally the layout of the composition, but after the final brush stroke of oil paint, the feeling of making art that many people can enjoy is very satisfying.