Troup unveils Corbett portrait
HARRISBURG — Greencastle portrait artist Nicole Troup recently unveiled her oil portrait of former Governor Tom Corbett at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
According to a statement from Corbett’s staff, the former governor was pleased with the portrait, “The responsibility of the Office of Governor and the pride of being entrusted with it are conveyed wonderfully in the portrait Nicole has created.”
The artist met with Corbett at the Governor's Mansion in 2013 to share her intentions for the portrait, which will be displayed among many in her future benefit solo art exhibit called “The Faces of Pennsylvania.”
Troup’s art exhibit will include portraits of individuals who represent the state in a significant way. The exhibit will also include the painted portrait of Sam Childers, also known as the Machine Gun Preacher. Childers is a famous Pennsylvanian whose life story was created into a 2011 Hollywood film, “Machine Gun Preacher,” starring Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan. The film is about Childer’s former life as a drug dealer, biker, tough guy who found God and became a crusader for hundreds of Sudanese children who've been forced to become soldiers by the rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army.
Troup’s recent missions trip with Sam Childer's charity organization, “Angels of East Africa,” to his orphanage in South Sudan has made a tremendous impact on the artist. “After meeting the orphans I can't forget their past suffering,” Troup said.
“My heart breaks for them especially because my children are the same age of many of them. To do nothing after knowing what I know now would be worse. Art is what I know, so if I can use that to help in some way I will.”
A percentage of the proceeds from “The Faces of Pennsylvania” art project will go towards Childer's charity organization to provide food and to help the organization fund more rescue missions.
The exhibit is still in the very early stages of planning, but Troup hopes to have a wide range of individuals represented in the exhibit who have made an impact in some way, such as those from the medical field, entertainment, educational field, business, humanitarian and religious field. When the project is finished in a few years, she will hold an opening art show and then hopes to have the exhibit travel from city to city in Pennsylvania raising funds for the orphans of Angels of East Africa.
Troup is open to hearing about good candidates for the art exhibit. She can be contacted at 717-331-1003 or via email at nickillustration@gmail.com
The above contact information can also be used by anyone who would like to help sponsor, get involved or donate towards this charity project.
Troup lives with her husband and two children in Greencastle, working as a commissioned portrait artist and art instructor. She's been hired by many clients to paint their beloved children, pets and memorial portraits. Other clients include doctors and Summit Health who commissioned her to paint the portrait of their former CEO Norman Epstein.