It Begins...........

Alfred Waud sketching at the Battle of Gettysburg-1863

The number of working war artists is small. Thanks in large part to the connectivity of the Internet we've been able to meet each other. As a result of this widening circle of associations we've decided to create an organization, The International Society of War Artists. Our plank holders include those sponsored officially by the military, individuals working for newspapers, independents, and former war artists. What we each have in common is an intense devotion to casting the artistic eye upon people and places during times of war. All of us have spent significant amounts of time in harm's way sharing the common lot of soldiers, sailors, Marines, and civilians. We trace our origins to Fransico de Goya, Winslow Homer and David Douglas Duncan.

New and Improved

Here's new and improved version of watercolor I did while out in the field last month. It's slated to be the front cover art for a magazine this November. This image tries to capture a group of Marines at first light sorting their gear, saddling up and getting into formation.

Tomorrow evening the Navy Museum will be hosting a formal opening of a joint Navy and Marine Corps combat art exhibit. The Navy Museum will have a slide show of the art available on-line shortly.....so stay tuned.

Mojave Viper: Two Weeks at the Gates to Hades

Trying to stay cool during the hottest part of the hottest day of the hottest month in the hottest place on earth

Sergeant Kris Battles hard at work
Mortar gun crew under cammie netting preparing for a gun shoot

81mm Mortar Platoon Marine saddled up for live fire training at Range Quackenbush
Weapons Company 2/25 Marine practices with remote control IED detection robot
Marines of Echo Company 2/25 do a dry run up Machine Gun Hill at Range 400

Portrait of Gunnery Sergeant Roger E. Hoke, Jr. Just prior to coming out to Mojave Viper he donated over a liter and a half of bone marrow to his brother. Read about it here.

For two weeks, from August 3 until the 17th, Sergeant Kris Battles and I participated in a training evolution called Mojave Viper. Mojave Viper is a series of demanding live fire exercises in the brutal desert conditions of the Marine Corps base at Twentynine Palms, California. We were invited to cover the training of 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment (2/25). 2/25 is a Marine Reserve unit preparing for a deployment to Al Anbar Province, Iraq. The unforgiving August heat and rugged terrain of The Stumps is the perfect place to do this.

Sergeant Battles and I covered the departure ceremony of the battalion's Gulf Company this past May. At Mojave Viper we were afforded the chance to cover their Weapons, H&S, Fox and Echo Companies. The overwhelming majority of Reserve Marines in this battalion are from the Northeastern States of New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Coming from Pennsylvania myself I found I had alot in common with these guys.

The heat exceeded 100 degrees everyday. 106 degrees in the shade was the mid-day norm. I wore the new Modular Tactical Vest. The MTV has gotten mixed reviews. For my part I can tell you it's heavy and when buttoned up sizziling in 120 plus degrees for hours in the back of an amphibious assualt vehicle with 20 other Marines it will suck every molecule of H2O out of you. You can see the Gates of Hades just a few feet away without a problem.

The battalion's Public Affairs Officer was kind enough to write and article about us. Check it out.

Two Down

High Noon Raid, Iraq

Between Sunset and Moonrise, Wazir Pass, Afghanistan

I finished two paintings today. Both are oil paint on gessoed watercolor paper. This particular method was championed by the great American illustrator, Maxfield Parrish.

Day of Departure

In addition to visiting with the artist Joe Kubert Tuesday Sergeant Battles and I covered the mobilization and departure ceremony of Gulf Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment. The Reserve Marines of G/2/25 departed their homebase at Picatinny Arsenal for the Marine Corps base at 29 Palms, California. At 29 Palms they'll train for about 4 months before going to Iraq.

The festivities for the Gulf Company Marines and their loved ones started at 0600. The Marine Corps League had coffee and donuts waiting for the hundreds of friends and relatives who showed up in a light rain to send their Marines off.

A Day With Joe Kubert

Myself with DC comic book artist and creator of Sergeant Rock, Joe Kubert

I had the great honor yesterday of meeting one of the greatest influences on my art. As a kid I loved DC comic's Sergeant Rock. Hours of time and reams of paper were used up trying to copy Rock and the men of Easy Company. The creator of Sgt. Rock is Joe Kubert and yesterday Sergeant Battles and I got to visit with him at his art school in Dover, New Jersey.

The gritty quality of the Sergeant Rock tales combined with Kubert's virtuoso draftsmanship and expressive inking left a deep mark on my artistic sensibilities. No one in the comic book universe can even approach the intensity of Kubert's faces.

Memorial Day

Memorial Service, Afghanistan-May 2005

Gloam and Gloom

Now that the sculpture I worked on for months is at the foundry I've been able to start a new three-dimensional piece and pick up on several paintings. The new sculpture is a composite of experiences of both wounded and killed-in-action Marines. More than once I've seen Marines gently cradling the head of a buddy as a corpsman works feverishly. I also share with you a painting of two leathernecks setting in for the night just after sunset under a rising moon surrounded by the beautiful hills and fields of eastern Afghanistan.

On to the Foundry

Gulf 240 Machine Gunner sculpture prepped for transportation to foundry.

My latest sculpture is now at the foundry getting readied for casting. It stands 25" high. Although it's hard to make out, the base of the work has etched along each of the four edges the names of major locations in Iraq where Marines have served. The National Museum of the Marine Corps is planning an initial "artist's proof" series of six.

Sculpture Update

This sculpture is 99% done! Whew! It has been an intense creative exercise figuring out how to shape and render a variety of materials, from skin and sinew to metal and cloth. I literally shaped every single round and link in the bandolier of ammunition as well as virtually all the muscles under the uniform. I can see why some sculptors stick to portrait busts.......it's soooo much simpler.

There's a couple of smaller details I'd like to point out. This is a M240 "Gulf" Marine Machine Gunner. These guys like to tuck a paint brush into the MOLLE attachment loops on the front of their Interceptor vests for weapons cleaning. The "D" ring to the right of the brush is for hanging his helmet from during a battle lull. There are two pouches for pistol magazines. One of the pouches is empty....it's mag is in the machine gunner's 9mm Beretta located in his "drop" holster. The pistol and holster are under his blouse. On his 3 day assault pack is strapped a poncho liner. Poncho liners are light weight quilted blankets that stand in for a sleeping bag while in battle. I made one of his trouser cargo pockets very full.....Marines tend to pack these large pockets with food for quick access during combat and it weighs the trouser leg down. Laced into his left boot is an extra dog tag and around his feet are spent shell casings. Finally, his trouser legs are "bloused" very low on his combat boots reflecting the constant shoot and scoot atmosphere of combat...he just doesn't have either the time or inclination to worry about how squared away he is.

Next week I'll be taking it very gingerly to the Wegner Foundry here in Fredericksburg, Virginia.