Artist in residence brings WW II memories back to life
War is often riddled with horrific sights and sounds, but artist Chris Demarest is aiming to capture those who served in World War II in a different light during the last four years of his World War II Portrait Journey project.
Demarest is working at the Puyallup Public Library as its artist in residence, working on his latest installment of his portrait tour for the library’s upcoming Festival of Books. The 2015 Festival of Books is World War II-themed, focusing on what life was like outside the war.
“We will have a swing dance festival, World War II fashion (displays) and food,” said Bonnie Anderson, Youth Services Librarian. “There will be something for everyone, themed in the WW II era.”
Long before Demarest began his three-month stint in Puyallup, he began his portrait journey in May 2011 while visiting the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. He sat outside the gates for two years, painting 70 portraits based off of old photos from the war.
“I don’t paint war scenarios, or am I glorifying war,” Demarest said. “It’s more about humanizing those who served and capturing their down time. War is horrible, but you need to respect these people.”
Demarest is usually given a picture of someone who served during WW II, and paints the photo in color to bring the often long-lost memory to life.
“It’s about getting people to remember their parents or grandparents,” Demarest said. “It’s translating a black and white photo into a color painting. It helps for those who served to remember the way it was back then.”
As Demarest commissions paintings for those in old photos, he hears the stories that veterans haven’t shared often.
“I invite everybody to come and talk with Chris,” Anderson said. “He will talk with anyone ages 5 to 95.”
“I look forward to coming into the library every day to hear the stories,” Demarest said.
After Demarest leaves Puyallup in November, he says he plans on bouncing around the U.S. on the portrait tour for another four years.
“It’s the adventure of a lifetime,” he said.
This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Artist in residence brings WW II memories back to life."