LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Four freelance artists spent last week on base, observing Team Lackland's mission as part of the Air Force art program.
The four artists, of various backgrounds, locales and ages, were shuttled about base by Tracy English, 37th Training Wing historian. No stone was left unturned as the artists photographed, sketched, and made mental pictures of images to recreate on canvas for the art program.
Mr. English said there are nearly 9,000 pieces in the art program, and that Lackland was lucky to have an art gallery on the second floor of the basic military training reception center. The gallery contains 70 pieces that reflect Air Force enlisted heritage.
"I'm hoping they will do pieces reflecting enlisted heritage, pieces of artwork we can get and put on display at the art gallery," said Mr. English. "Their mission here is to see our mission, to see what we do day in, day out."
One of the artists in the group, Dick Kramer, made his first trip to Lackland 41 years ago, and sees the changes.
"Yeah, even the Alamo looks older," the Leesburg, Va., resident, said with a hearty laugh.
Mr. Kramer said 25 years ago he did a rendering of a Minot Air Force Base, N.D., security officer and his dog. He wants to update that piece, so his focus during this visit was Security Forces and the working dog program.
As he stepped off the elevator on the second floor of the Security Forces museum, he yelled out, "Oh, my God! That's the drawing," referring to an Airman montage he'd done years ago.
A split-second later, he cried "Holy cow! That's the Airman!" about a second sketch, this one a duplicate of his earlier drawing from Minot.
After catching his breath, Mr. Kramer said, "I want to do an absolute perfect update (on the officer and dog) and I got it." His freelance work for the Air Force was "the fun job," and he expected to have five or six pieces ready for the group's October 2010 presentation to the Air Force.
Tony Stencel, who lives in Chicago, was enthralled with basic military training.
"It's amazing to see these young and patriotic people going through what they're doing," he said. "They know full well what the ramifications are. My mantra is to honor, through art, those who serve."
Mr. Stencel has been involved with the art program since 2002, and is one of the few combat artists to work the field in Afghanistan to capture images for his paintings.
Another of the group's artists, Scott Gandell from South Pasadena, Calif., said he would try "a little bit of everything" in creating illustrations about Lackland.
"I like detail, little details," he said.
Mr. Gandell specializes in primarily pen and ink, black and white, with a minimal amount of color.
The fourth member of the group, Nilo Santiago, retired in 2003 after serving as the official artist of the Air Force based at the Pentagon.
He said his painting focus would reflect Lackland's mission.