The official portrait of Governor Nathan Deal and his wife, Sandra
If a picture is worth a thousand words then a portrait is worth many times that – a notion that certainly rings true in the case of the official gubernatorial portrait of Governor Nathan Deal and his wife Sandra.
The pair were honored at the portrait’s unveiling Thursday morning at the State Capitol in front of a large crowd filled with family, friends, staffers past and present, many of whom have risen the ranks over Deal’s eight years in office to some of the state’s highest stations. Painted by local artist artist Thomas Nash, the portrait not only captures the Deals, but also features many of their great accomplishments during two terms on West Paces Ferry.
There is a video camera, signifying the birth and growth of Georgia’s film industry into one of the most prominent in the world. A statue of Lady Justice holding a scale, representing the governor’s work on criminal justice reform. A crane and an accompanying skyscraper rise from behind Deal, reminding Georgians even many years from now of the explosive growth that the state saw during his tenure.
And then there are the books and the apple, paying homage not only to Gov. Deal’s work on education reform but also for the First Lady’s main focus in office – improving childhood literacy. Sandra Deal famously visited every county in the state while her husband was in office to read to schools, making 1,000 visits in total.
There will surely be much written of Deal’s legacy as he prepares to leave office, and he certainly leaves some massive shoes to fill for Governor-elect Brian Kemp, set to be sworn in on January 14th. But even as those articles and stories fade to dust, (or whatever happens to expired internet pages) the portrait will remain under the Gold Dome, reminding future generations of Georgians of Deal’s many accomplishments.
