"Moses - Raising Awareness for Homeless Vets"

10"x8" Oil on Linen Panel

I met Richard while I was painting downtown on Thursday.  He approached me and my painting friend joking that he would love to pose for a painting but he couldn't pay us; he had such great character that I had to paint his portrait! 

So we made arrangements to meet up the following morning so he could sit for me and I could paint him.  He made such a fine model and I hope to paint many more like these.

While he sat for me we were able to get to know one another.  

He described his days as a US Marine, his years growing up in Charleston and on his family's Summerville farm, and his time as a homeless man in Charleston.  

He started the tent village near the I-26 overpass with just he and a friend, it began with two tents and grew to a small village.  He started the tent village because he wanted to help his buddy avoid the harassment experienced from some in the homeless shelter.  He fought and worked with diligence to find homes for his fellow homeless mates.  He found a home for every single one of them and thus was dubbed the name, "Moses," for he led his friends out of their bondage into their promised land.