Art exhibit draws crowd to Air Force heritage

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shad Eidson
  • Air Force News Agency
SAN ANTONIO (AFPN) --  A collection of art illustrating Air Force heritage since before the service's beginning through today's expeditionary operations was the spotlight for local military, civic and business leaders during a gathering July 18 in honor of the Air Force's 60th Anniversary.

The exhibit, titled "Heritage to Horizons: U.S. Air Force History Through Art," contains more than 50 art pieces from the Air Force Art Program and is on display to the public at the University of Texas at San Antonio's Institute of Texan Cultures through Sept. 30. 

"It's inspiring and it tells the story. It tells the story of sacrifice. It tells the story of dedication. It tells the story of commitment," said Gen. William R. Looney III, the Air Education and Training Command commander, about the artwork he has seen at the Pentagon.

"But most importantly it tells the story of America," the general said. "It tells the story of people who love their country and are willing to do whatever their country asks. And when their country sends out the call, asks who will be there for me, these are the ones who step forward and said if you need me, I am here."

The exhibit was organized by the AETC history office with pieces selected to show the important role Air Force members play in maintaining the nation's defense and the sacrifices they make in completing their mission, said Robert Crawford, the staff curator at the AETC history office. The art on display also allows the public to see the technological advances made over the years. There are paintings of aircraft ranging from early biplanes to the F-35 Lightning II, America's newest fighter, which is still in the testing and development phase.

"The exhibit evokes memories of past experiences in veterans and their family members," Mr. Crawford said. "I've been approached by several visitors who want to tell me about their experiences relating to a specific event depicted in one or more of the paintings."

The Air Force Art Program was established to inform the public of the service's history and heritage. It was created in 1950, when some 800 works of art were transferred from the Army to the newly formed Air Force as a way to maintain the artistic history of the days before the Air Force was an independent service.

"Unlike the immediacy of photography, an artist can paint and invoke different emotions into a painting," said Russell Kirk, director of the Air Force Art Program. "The quality we look at before a piece of art is accepted into the program is accuracy. All pieces in the program are historically accurate."

Today there are more than 9,500 pieces in the collection. All art is donated and available to loan at bases throughout the Air Force. Typically, there are about 120 pieces accepted into the program each year with about 1,200 to 2,000 pieces placed on loan per year, Mr. Crawford said.

"In my case, I'm always trying to make sure I'm painting what it feels like to fly. I fly with the unit, travel with the unit and get to know what they're doing, what's important and what's not important," said Keith Ferris, an Air Force Art Program artist member since 1960. "The idea is to find out what's important to the people involved and just try and tell their story. Artists have a tendency to see a lot of different things that people who are around things every day don't see."

The exhibit's chronological timeline also contains four displays of paintings and graphics that highlight specific aspects of Air Force history including the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the Tuskegee Airmen, the Berlin Airlift and the Hurricane Katrina humanitarian operation.

"Heritage shapes our present and let's us realize how we got here today," said San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger, a Texas native who served as a captain in the Air Force piloting the B-47 bomber. "This art illustrates our history and shows all sides of service -- from the glamour to the deadly. There is a price to pay for where we are today." 

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