Faces of Afghanistan"I went to Afghanistan in the fall of 2011 as a temporary State Department officer, with the mission to help build a stable nation. I was able to meet frequently with Afghans, mostly officials and tribal leaders in Maiwand District, Kandahar Province. Often, as I sat in meetings, I'd sketch other people in the room - usually Afghans, but sometimes Americans or other coalition members as well. For an artist, these people are fabulous subjects. They have wonderfully unique faces, great dignity, passion, and expressiveness. I could spend all day, every day, drawing and painting them … except my boss would not have gone for it! My job came first, obviously - but drawing and working in pastels were always on my mind." The full collection comprises about 50 drawings and pastels. It was exhibited at colleges and universities in North Carolina and Ohio and also featured in a WLOS-TV news report. The series is now in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History. Click on images to enlarge. |