American artist Chas Fagan grew up in Belgium and in rural Pennsylvania, gathering inspiration from the rich landscape and history of his surroundings. His ability to combine his artistic gifts with his knowledge of history has led to several high-profile commissions. Among his favorites are his statue of President Reagan in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, a "young Neil Armstrong" statue for Purdue University (including a surrounding plaza with moon-boot prints), his sculpture of Rosa Parks in the Narthex of Washington National Cathedral, and a monumental-scale sculpture in Dallas titled "Freedom’s Charge," featuring two Revolutionary War figures and a billowing battalion flag from Bunker Hill. He was also fortunate to be asked to paint the official White House portrait of First Lady Barbara Bush, and the official portrait of Mother Teresa for her canonization at St. Peter’s in Rome. A self-taught artist, Chas graduated from Yale University with a degree in Soviet Studies.