Portrait of my Grandfather [Army WWII]

2,763 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by Teacher_Ag
Teacher_Ag
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AG
Wanted to share with you guys this oil painting I had commissioned of my maternal grandfather. He was in a ordnance maintenance co attached to 7th AD participated in the drive across France and the Battle of the Bulge. He survived unscathed but was killed by a drunk driver when my Mom was only 3, so my knowledge of his war experience has always been fairly sparse and just bits and pieces of what his brothers and other relatives relayed.

There is an artist whose military artwork I had admired for years. I finally decided last year to comission him to create a portrait of my Grandfather as I imagined him, hunkered down in the Ardennes. He went above and beyond what I expected with the painting. I was so pleased. It will be an heirloom for many generations to come.

Beside it I hung his Bronze Star as well as a short article that was printed up in his small hometown's news office (Miami, TX) based on a letter he wrote them from France to describe what he was seeing.










TheSheik
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AG
what an awesome heirloom

Corporal Punishment
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Strangely, my grandfather also hails from Miami, TX. Born in a dugout house in 1903. And also strangely, like your grandfather, when I hold my M1 Carbine, I also have a sh't eating grin on my face. Thanks for sharing.
Teacher_Ag
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They probably knew one another. Pretty small place!
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SidsBurnerAccount
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Who's the artist if you don't mind sharing?
Teacher_Ag
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AG
He is a Ukranian artist named Misha Luts. You can see his signature cleverly added to the German helmet. He has done a lot of amazing work and paints with a high degree of realism and attention to detail. He takes commissions for far far cheaper than a US-based artist of comparable skill would.

Btw here is one of the reference photos I sent him


Teacher_Ag
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Check out this Vietnam War piece he just completed for another American client, based on a personal reference photo

TheSheik
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TeacherAg - I'm actually texting with him can you call me and discuss with me how the process worked for you g
or email at Iamthesheik at gmail . com

***got connected***
Rabid Cougar
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AG
Those are pretty neat. I had my Dad done as a mountain man for his 50th birthday. I have toyed with having one done of me as a Lewis and Clark soldier.
TheSheik
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update from my end
I contacted the painter Lutz back in June and July after the discussions above and seeing the work he did for TeacherAg

original photo of my sister, dad and me in '71 dad was leaving that morning to go back to Vietnam


I sent him several other pictures
for reference but this the one the painter wanted to paint

the work in progress

hoping to get it soon
Teacher_Ag
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That looks great! He takes his time and really gets it right, and his photos of it don't do it justice. Once you get it in the mail and have it stretched and framed, you'll be blown away by the quality! He recently finished my 2nd commission, this one of my other grandfather.
texrover91
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Fantastic idea - can you post his contact info can't find anything related when I search his name thx
TheSheik
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you can only find him on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/misha.luts.7

texrover91
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Gracias!
Teacher_Ag
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A cool idea I had.

Some of us pitch in to have Misha paint something cool relating to Aggie military history (Rudder, one of our MoH recipients, one of the Ags lost in the GWOT for example) and donate the painting to the MSC or Sanders center or something like that. Or one of Bush Sr to go in the library.
Teacher_Ag
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The one Misha just did for me.





It's my Dad as a kid with my Grandfather who spent years as Sheriff of Moore County (Dumas). He's my Dad's hero, died when he was a Sr in HS, and I grew up hearing about what a great father and man he was. Coulnt have kids of his own and adopted my Dad out of what would have been a terrible situation and raised him into a stellar guy. My Dad was recently diagnosed with early alzheimers so I consider this the last great gift I can give him.
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