Lincolnshire veteran's drawing part of national art competition
A charcoal-pastel portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, drawn by a resident of Sedgebrook senior living community in Lincolnshire, will be part of a national veterans art competition later this year.
Al Brandwein's piece will be judged during the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Jackson, Mississippi, in October. Brandwein won the North Chicago VA's creative arts contest earlier this year to earn a spot in the national competition.
The portrait is just one of many the 91-year-old Brandwein has created.
According to Brandwein, who didn't pursue portraiture with any consistency until he was about 80 years old, "This is the best one I've ever done."
Drawn to faces that have character, the former traveling salesman said he has portrayed famous and not-so-famous individuals.
"Since I've begun drawing, I'm very aware of people and their characteristics. I notice how they look, how they eat, how they chew … and if a portrait doesn't look exactly like the person I'm drawing, I throw it away," he said.
"That's what I love about portraits - they either are or they aren't who they're supposed to be. It could be a subtle shadow on the tip of a nose that captures the essence of a face, but it has to be just right."
Some of his renditions include Teddy Roosevelt, Golda Meir, and Mother Teresa, to name a few.
Moving to Sedgebrook with his wife, Nancy, three years ago from a Del Webb property in Huntley, Brandwein started visiting the community's art room once a week after an art instructor came to give residents a lesson.
His first creation at Sedgebrook was one of Jack Nicholson's terrifying "Here's Johnny!" face chopping away at a door in the film "The Shining." Since then, some 30-plus portraits line the walls of his spacious apartment.
Brandwein said he was thrilled to learn his Gandhi portrait would move on to the national competition. While he's not certain he will travel to Mississippi for the weeklong festivities, the self-described "healthy and fortunate" senior is satisfied his long-dormant artistic flair has not gone unnoticed.
"I had a talent all those years ago, but no one really recognized or fostered it," he said.
Several of his friends at Sedgebrook have requested that Brandwein render their portraits. He is on the verge of granting those requests, and he is also considering venturing into images in nature.
"There is so much more to a leaf than lines and veins," said the father of two sons, grandfather of five, and great-grandfather of one, with another on the way.
"Since I've been drawing, I'm so much more aware of everything."