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"Mama's Prayers"


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Greetings all,

I just zeroed-in on this section of the forums last evening, and thought I'd share some of my work with you good people. :worship:

Here's the painting I done from the personal accounts of Mr. Hank Calonkey, D-1-12 1st Cav, in a rice paddy near Tam Quan, Vietnam, December 1967.

art1.jpg

The painting was done in Acrylics, and is 17.5 x 11

You can read about that day on the page I set up for Hank, here:

http://gunsagogo.org/grunt.htm

(turn the Sound up!)

Thanks, and take care,

Frank

Edited by oldHooker
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:rolleyes: .....I just think that this is AWESOME.....your painting captures the furtive glances, the cowering from the paddy worker, the " movement" and the coloring of the painting makes you feel that you " in the painting" waiting for the Helicopter to land .... there is an air of urgency in your painting as the trees and bushes blow wildly.... BEAUTIFUL..BRILLIANT....I love looking at it...

Thnak you for showing to us..

HOLMES..

:taunt:

just listened and read the link..Sorry but it made ME cry....Heartfelt..

Edited by HOLMES
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Thank you Holmes, Raptor, and Sean...

I tried my best to transfer the emotions I felt from Hank when he was telling me the story, to the canvas. While we were talking, he pulled his pants leg up and showed the three carrot-shaped burn scars on his calf, recieved when the scalding brass from the 20mm's literally "piled up" on that leg as the big Gunship fired away over their heads! He told me that up to that point, and in the years SINCE, he's never knowingly been that close to death.

Hank got to meet some of the actual crew who were on that sorte, in Huntville, '00, and finally got to say a long awaited "Thank You". :lol: With the *loudness* that's generally associated with Veterans' reunions in full swing, you could have heard a pin drop in that place as he came up to shake their hands... and hug their necks... and thank each one for his LIFE!

God bless the Grunts!

Frank

Edited by oldHooker
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awesome work! i am always amazed at the work here, but i'm really amazed how well that came out, and in acrylics!

i have tried acrylics time and time again, but i can never get good fades and subtle blends like with oils. i had a painting professor that painted strickly in acrylics because of the speed. she did beautiful work. my attempts looked like finger painting.

point is.....I LOVE IT.

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awesome work! i am always amazed at the work here, but i'm really amazed how well that came out, and in acrylics!

i have tried acrylics time and time again, but i can never get good fades and subtle blends like with oils. i had a painting professor that painted strickly in acrylics because of the speed. she did beautiful work. my attempts looked like finger painting.

point is.....I LOVE IT.

Thanks neu and niart17,

I kinda got hooked on acrylics because of the drying speed, but also after watching a fellow doing sidewalk portraits in Atlantic City one time, and how he magically made beautiful blends with what looked to be different sized ladies make-up brushes. He would saturate one, then flap in on his rag until you could just barely see any color, then he'd hold the brush at 90 degrees and start these little circular motions. The affect was almost like that of an airbrush! When I got home I tried it a few times and by golly, it worked! Now there are always three or four make-up brushes in my set, wife not withstanding! :worship:

Take care and thanks again,

Frank

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