Then the memories started tumbling out, one after another. He began to describe his training in the Eighth Air Force, and how he became a pilot of a B-17. I struggled to draw his likeness and to capture his quotes, both of which were equally valuable as a memory of his life.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Interview Portrait
Patrick Lendino never said a word about his war experiences until one day when we sat down and I started drawing his portrait.
Then the memories started tumbling out, one after another. He began to describe his training in the Eighth Air Force, and how he became a pilot of a B-17. I struggled to draw his likeness and to capture his quotes, both of which were equally valuable as a memory of his life.
Then the memories started tumbling out, one after another. He began to describe his training in the Eighth Air Force, and how he became a pilot of a B-17. I struggled to draw his likeness and to capture his quotes, both of which were equally valuable as a memory of his life.
Striking portrait.
ReplyDeleteWith those comments it makes me think of the graphic novell No More Shaves.
The 'script' for this book is interviews with 6 elderly men in a Boston nursing home.
The interviews were animated with off-beat questions like "What do you think George Washington's voice sounded like?".
That is a wonderful combination of words and pictures!
ReplyDeleteJG-
ReplyDeleteThe unassuming annotated, pencil, portrait drawing - the proletariat of the art world? - equally striking in it's simplicity and as an enduring statement of both the earnest reporter and the subject. A lesson in seeing the beauty and mystery of the common man and how we as artists can serve to uncover and preserve the "diamonds in the rough". Thank you again for sharing and inspiring with passion, wit and insight.
Kind regards,
-JG
Beautiful portrait, and the stories make it even stronger. Lovely work!
ReplyDeleteVery moving. Strange how the portrait seems to illustrate each line. The words and art fit so well.
ReplyDeleteThe portrait is phenomenal and the text makes it that much more riveting. A whole book of stories/drawings like this would be incredible. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat story and drawing.
ReplyDeleteMy great Uncles (brothers) served in WW2 and they never talked much about what they did during the war.
They saw a lot of action between them they served from Anzio through the Battle of the Bulge.
One did tell of some his stories, how he was wounded at Anzio and was buried alive for what seemed to him to be days. He was found when someone noticed his hand moving.
They patched him up, after a week or so of rest they sent him back to the front.
The other brother never said a word about it. After he passed away my father found his Bronze star and Purple heart medals and citations.
He got the Bronze for saving his unit from a German attack during the Bulge and helping them to retreat with the wounded.
It's an interesting aspect of WW2 how these men and women just came home an wanted to get on with it.
This would be a great project, however with 1000 of these veterans a day passing away as I write time is not on the side of such a project.