Member Luncheon — December 2025
We were so fortunate to welcome Mary Whyte, the incredibly talented watercolor artist, to our December Luncheon. Her gift for storytelling through art held the room, as she shared the inspiration behind her latest book, An Artist’s Life. As a surprise treat, every guest received a copy of Down Bohicket to take home.
“The arts provide valuable resources for young people by fostering creative thinking, self expression, and emotional connection. Arts Etc. has championed the cause, establishing a pathway to joy for the next generation of artists and audiences.” – Mary Whyte
Mary Whyte engaged the luncheon attendees with the story of her creative art career with its roots in South Carolina.
Mary Whyte began painting early in life and when she moved to South Carolina she found a mission: to tell the stories of real life along Bohicket Road, of the humble people who cannot believe they are being painted. She has told the stories of Southerners in many states by painting them as they do their life-long jobs, which are vanishing. Her paintings form the basis for several books, including these vanishing jobs, Working South and one about true heroes: our veterans. She spent seven years traveling in all 50 states finding veterans, forming the book We The People. The entire 50 paintings were shown in the City Gallery for 6 weeks, during which 22,000 people visited. The collection is currently touring the US. In conjunction with the Gibbes Gallery she painted a collection called Salt of the Earth, celebrating 250 years of ordinary people. In March a special concert was held at the Gaillard, featuring projected images of her paintings in time with music performed by the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
Mary Whyte has formed the Patriot Art Foundation, teaching veterans to paint online in their own homes and at VA hospitals from Alaska to Miami. The foundation sends the art supplies to the veterans. As she says “words can’t say but art can express”. Einstein said “You can look at life in two ways: nothing is a miracle or everything is a miracle”, such as the color of sunshine. Similarly Helen Keller said “Life is a grand adventure or nothing”.
Mary Whyte aims to capture moments in her paintings, seeing patterns. Creativity can express ideas which capture your imagination. Her advice is to not focus on what you do well (do as well as another person) but focus on what you do differently. “Paint your own paintings”. When asked what she does differently she answered “ An innate understanding of people. She asserts that age is an asset in experience and feeling. The secret to success as a creative person is to “ Say something (what moves you), and develop the ability to say it (which can take 10,000 hours of working at your art), and the courage to do it”.
Article written by Martha Zink