ARTIST'S PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: "Hello and welcome! THANK YOU for taking a few
moments of your time for this brief announcement. Please allow me to first introduce myself. My name
is Edwin S. McVaugh, Jr., and I was born and raised in a small New Jersey town, a Quaker descendant of
Betsy Ross. Named after my father, a successful second generation builder, my mother nicknamed me
'Mike' at an early age and that is what most of my friends call me today. Today as a Central Florida
resident and artist, I simply go by E. Mike McVaugh. Looking back I have had an active interest in the
art of the portrait since youth and was formerly educated at George School and Rollins College. I
experienced life changing spiritual renewal during the 1980s and since then my life journey has been a
creative/spiritual one. I am currently a portrait specialist by trade and am a longstanding student of the
American presidency.
I am here today, to endeavor in a plain spoken way, to answer what I humbly believe to be a part of
God's call on my life. That being to publicly issue an Artist versus Computer challenge that I am calling
An American Presidential Portrait Challenge. Here it is: I publicly challenge any existing computer on
earth to create and paint a better portrait of a President of the United States than I can, letting the
public decide the winner. This artist vs computer American Presidential Portrait Challenge is being
made public as of September 17, 2012 and I believe (like Billie Jean vs Bobby Riggs, Big Blue vs the
Chess Champ, Watson vs the Jeopardy Game Show Champ, and David vs Goliath) it is a challenge
whose time has come. I also believe it is a challenge that will: (1) serve to energize a debate among people
of all races, creeds and colors about our, humankind's, power to create; and (2) one that will pay positive
tribute to the Office of the President of the United States, while (3) benefiting agencies and organizations
that offer Hope to the Addicted and their Families; It is also (4) about honoring a promise long ago made.
It is a privately funded (no government grants or corporate sponsors) independent challenge of which I am
a reluctant but still willing imperfect vessel who has lived a rather spartan lifestyle to get to the point of this
announcement today.
The president I've chosen to create and paint a portrait of for my Challenge entry is America's beloved
40th President, Ronald Reagan. President Reagan once said, 'God had a divine purpose in placing this
land between two great oceans to be found by those who had a special love of freedom and courage.'
America was founded upon great principles and in America portrait painting is a great long-standing
tradition celebrating the many diverse marvels of the American spirit. President Reagan believed and
championed that America was great because of the greatness of her 'ordinary, hardworking, God-blessed
individuals'. That everyone of us is here for a reason and has something to offer. May this Challenge be
an encouragement for those ordinary, hard working, God-blessed folks (of which I gratefully count myself
as one) and may it serve a higher good in the process as well.
Plainly speaking, this Portrait Challenge is this artist's giant leap of faith. I am not on an ego trip or glory
seeking ride by issuing this Challenge. I simply believe I have been given this to do and am committing
very best efforts to see it done. Although I will add that I heard someone once say that acts of God are
tough acts to follow. And I say Amen to that!
Thank you again for your time. Please consider forwarding this to family, friends and co-workers. For
additional artist background information please visit: www.oilportraitsforyou.org. For additional
information about the Challenge please send an email to artistvscomputer@yahoo.com. Thanks and
God bless."
moments of your time for this brief announcement. Please allow me to first introduce myself. My name
is Edwin S. McVaugh, Jr., and I was born and raised in a small New Jersey town, a Quaker descendant of
Betsy Ross. Named after my father, a successful second generation builder, my mother nicknamed me
'Mike' at an early age and that is what most of my friends call me today. Today as a Central Florida
resident and artist, I simply go by E. Mike McVaugh. Looking back I have had an active interest in the
art of the portrait since youth and was formerly educated at George School and Rollins College. I
experienced life changing spiritual renewal during the 1980s and since then my life journey has been a
creative/spiritual one. I am currently a portrait specialist by trade and am a longstanding student of the
American presidency.
I am here today, to endeavor in a plain spoken way, to answer what I humbly believe to be a part of
God's call on my life. That being to publicly issue an Artist versus Computer challenge that I am calling
An American Presidential Portrait Challenge. Here it is: I publicly challenge any existing computer on
earth to create and paint a better portrait of a President of the United States than I can, letting the
public decide the winner. This artist vs computer American Presidential Portrait Challenge is being
made public as of September 17, 2012 and I believe (like Billie Jean vs Bobby Riggs, Big Blue vs the
Chess Champ, Watson vs the Jeopardy Game Show Champ, and David vs Goliath) it is a challenge
whose time has come. I also believe it is a challenge that will: (1) serve to energize a debate among people
of all races, creeds and colors about our, humankind's, power to create; and (2) one that will pay positive
tribute to the Office of the President of the United States, while (3) benefiting agencies and organizations
that offer Hope to the Addicted and their Families; It is also (4) about honoring a promise long ago made.
It is a privately funded (no government grants or corporate sponsors) independent challenge of which I am
a reluctant but still willing imperfect vessel who has lived a rather spartan lifestyle to get to the point of this
announcement today.
The president I've chosen to create and paint a portrait of for my Challenge entry is America's beloved
40th President, Ronald Reagan. President Reagan once said, 'God had a divine purpose in placing this
land between two great oceans to be found by those who had a special love of freedom and courage.'
America was founded upon great principles and in America portrait painting is a great long-standing
tradition celebrating the many diverse marvels of the American spirit. President Reagan believed and
championed that America was great because of the greatness of her 'ordinary, hardworking, God-blessed
individuals'. That everyone of us is here for a reason and has something to offer. May this Challenge be
an encouragement for those ordinary, hard working, God-blessed folks (of which I gratefully count myself
as one) and may it serve a higher good in the process as well.
Plainly speaking, this Portrait Challenge is this artist's giant leap of faith. I am not on an ego trip or glory
seeking ride by issuing this Challenge. I simply believe I have been given this to do and am committing
very best efforts to see it done. Although I will add that I heard someone once say that acts of God are
tough acts to follow. And I say Amen to that!
Thank you again for your time. Please consider forwarding this to family, friends and co-workers. For
additional artist background information please visit: www.oilportraitsforyou.org. For additional
information about the Challenge please send an email to artistvscomputer@yahoo.com. Thanks and
God bless."
| From Orlando, Florida Artist E. Mike McVaugh Answers God's Call to Challenge Computers To AN AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL PORTRAIT CHALLENGE A Duel to Fuel a Debate about Our Power to Create |
