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U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center houses large collection of Air Force art

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
FORT DIX, N.J. --  When the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center was established in 1994 as the Air Mobility Warfare Center, the walls of the building were bare and the Center's first commander took the initiative to fill those walls. 

According to artist Keith Ferris of Morris Plains, N.J., a long-time donator to the Air Force Art Program and recent visitor to the Center, Brig. Gen. William Begert, and his wife Judy, made a special trip to the Air Force Art Program's warehouse to find items to display within the Center. 

"They came in to the new Air Mobility Warfare Center and saw the bare walls," Mr. Ferris said. "They took the initiative to go and find appropriate Air Force art to hang on the walls throughout the Center and I think they made some good choices." 

Ironically enough, an oil painting of General Begert also hangs on the walls of the Center. 

Don Wiggins, command curator for Air Mobility Command's distribution of Air Force art, said the Center holds AMC's "second largest" collection of Air Force art with 83 pieces. 

Overall, the Air Force Art Program has approximately 9,500 works and they receive about 100 to 125 new pieces per year, said Russell Kirk, Air Force Art Program Director at the Secretary of the Air Force Administrative Assistant's Office in the Pentagon. 

"The program currently has approximately 250 active artists," Mr. Kirk said. "However, over the years, it represents hundreds." 

Dozens of those artists are represented in the Center's collection of Air Force art and their paintings span numerous operations - from the Korean War to Operation Restore Hope. According to Mr. Kirk, it's through sending artists to see operations first hand and to learn more of what it's like to be there where the best art comes from. 

"While we document the Air Force through other types of media such as still imagery and through live media feeds, an artist can capture more than just the moment," Mr. Kirk said.
Mr. Wiggins added that art, like what's found in the Center, provides a form of inspiration for those who view it. In the Center's 13 years of existence, thousands of students have viewed the art throughout the buildings corridors and walls. 

"They say a picture is worth a thousand words," Mr. Wiggins said. "With the paintings artists create, they can inspire Airmen for years to come." 

Among the items hanging within the center include two by artist James Consor of New York City, entitled, "Airlift Rodeo," from 1987. 

"I made one in color and one in charcoal," Mr. Consor said during an interview at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., for Air Mobility Rodeo 2007 in July. 

The Center also has another of Mr. Consor's pieces, painted in 1993, called "Hurricane Andrew, Homestead AFB." 

Other art pieces include portraits of air mobility in action. Since the Air Force Art Program began in 1950, the Center has followed suit with paintings from the very beginning of the program. Among the oldest in the Center's display collection is a 1950 painting by Samuel Smith entitled, "Future Tuson Air Strip," and a 1952 painting by Harold Sims called, "First Day at Kimpo." 

More recent paintings in the collection include 1993 paintings by Charles Rowe called, "Operation Restore Hope," and by Eugene Lebbin entitled, "The 126th in Moron, Spain." 

Besides officially listed art from the Air Force Art Program, the Center also has art donated directly to or commissioned by the Center. They include a mural of former Chief Master Sgt. Grace Peterson, painted by former Center staff member Staff Sgt. Rick Dunaway. There are also portraits of all past Center commanders and Center superintendents or command chiefs.