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.

In the News

My local newspaper, the Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star, published an article this Sunday about myself and Sergeant Kris Battle. Check it out. I'm sorry that I haven't published much of late. Sergeant Battles and I have been busy in our studio and actively preparing for our next trip overseas........to Afghanistan to cover the upcoming deployments of the 24th Marine Expeditonary Unit and the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment.

Also, here's a picture of the current state of the sculpture I'm actively working on.

WOW!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all. Since my last post I've continued to concentrate on sculpture. Sergeant Kris Battles, our other combat artist, deployed to Iraq in September and returned unscathed mid-November after 2 months with the very first Marine Osprey squadron to be fielded to a war zone. Sergeant Battles and I are now working out of a large and well equiped formal studio, north light and all, aboard Quantico.

My lovely girlfriend Janis and I will be spending Christmas Day with family in Pennsylvania.

My current project is a full figure of a Marine machine gunner. Several critical parts of the work, such as head and hands, are being done in wax. The 240 G machine gun is roughed out in balsa wood and hard wood dowels and will get a coat of wax. The remainder of the sculpture is in plasticine. The final product will be cast in bronze.

I leave you with a Christmas poem penned by a Marine. The poem was originally written by Lance Corporal James A. Schmidt in 1986. I also invite you to visit Major Mike Corrado's On My Watch Tonight YouTube site.

'Twas the night before Christmas; he lived all alone
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
And to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind
A sobering thought soon came to my mind
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more
So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine
Was this the hero, of whom I'd just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan
I soon understood, this was more than a man
For I realized the families that I saw that night
Owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year
Because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn t help wonder how many lay alone
On a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for our freedom, I don't ask for more
My life is my God, my Country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep
I watched him for hours, so silent and still
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red
And covered this Marine from his toes to his head
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold
With an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.

Tho' it barely fit me, I swelled with pride
And for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside
I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Half asleep he rolled over, in a voice clean and pure
Said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

HEROs

Corporal Diana L. Kavanek, USMC

This evening ABC World News with Charles Gibson featured a wonderful story of courage, resilience, commitment and what eventually flows directly from them.....love. It is the inspiring story of Marine Corporals Aaron Mankin and Diana Kavanek. Although I didn't have the privilege of knowing Cpl. Mankin, I have met Diana. Then Corporal Kavanek (she and Aaron are now married)and I returned in the same group of Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) in February of 2005. In an age when the media seems so fixated on young adults mired in adolescenent excess it is heartening to know that ABC News is taking the time to tell this simple tale of genuine heros. Semper Fi!

You can read here more about what Diana did is Iraq. I am re-posting a sketch I did of her.

9/11 Memory

Six years ago I was three stories up on scaffolding doing restoration woodworking on a Colonial era building called Hungars Parish Church. It was the most beautiful of September mornings; blue sky, dry balmy air with a slight breeze, and the sound of combines harvesting the golden soybean fields of rural Northhampton County, Virginia. At about 0930 a well worn Ford F-150 pickup truck pulled into the church's yard. This rural congregation had no parking lot....just a dirt and gravel entrance off of a countryroad unto freshly cut grass. An elderly farmed called out to us in a thick Tidewater accent (imagine a Canadian with a Southern twang) from a settling cloud of dust that we needed to come down and listen to the radio. At the time I was just a Marine Reservist, a weekend warrior who between monthly drills would grow back his goatee and work at my civilian job with a historic restoration company, Tidewater Restoration. I, like most of you, knew my life had been changed forever.

The only other day I remember this clearly was when JFK was assassinated in 1963. I was in Miss Rau's 5th grade class when a call came over the intercom to send three boys who were cub scouts down to the office. I was one of those boys. The principle, Mrs. Musselman, told us the president had been killed. At first I wondered if it was the president of the school board she was talking about? And if it was, why was everyone in the office crying? Then she told us to follow the janitor outside. He was going to instruct us in how to put the flag at half-staff. It was then we realized she was speaking of The President. That night I remember how, like 9/11, we were all glued to our televisions. And I recall the words of JFK, "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country".

HBO and producer/actor James Gandolfini have created a documentary called Alive Day. You can go to their site and watch it for free. Please do. Freedom is not free. These are truly the folks who've risen to answer another generation's leader's challenge.

Persons of the Week

On Friday evening myself and three other Marine Corps combat artists were featured as the ABC News' Persons of the Week.

The Skippers

On Friday, 31 August, the two Marine officers who provided the inspiration for "The Skipper" stopped by the National Museum of the Marine Corps and signed the second casting of this bronze. Both have been promoted to major since I last spent time with their companies in Iraq, and are now attending the Command and Staff College at the Marine Corps University aboard Quantico. At the left is Major Ross Parrish, former "skipper" of F/2/1 and to the left is Major Phil Ash, of K/3/1. I served with Major Parrish in Operation Steel Curtain and Major Ash in Ramadi.

Our other artist, Sergeant Kris Battles, will be deploying back to Iraq very shortly for about 60 days. Sergeant Battles will be covering the first deployment of the Marines latest technological wonder, the Osprey. Kris has freshly posted some new and wonderful pieces over at Sketchpad Warrior. Please go check out his work and take a moment to wish him well.