The opera Fidelio was amazing and Project Heroes™ was thrilled to be there!  A cast of soldiers, politicians, jailers, heroic women and prisoners sing a tale of love and freedom set in eighteenth century Spain. In this setting a woman disguised as a man searches for her husband who is a political prisoner. It was Beethoven's only opera and was written in the countryside near Vienna during a time of political upheaval. Days before the French army marched into Vienna the audience of the premiere was mostly French officers.

We were proud to have several portraits on display in the lobby and enjoyed the VIP party afterward.

Susan, Shairl and Cindy with some of the portraits.

Susan and Shairl discussing Project Heroes™ with guests.

Susan with 3 members of the military at the VIP party.

Portrait in Progress

The portraits are started in various ways, in this instance Shairl has drawn the portrait with pencil and done the first layer in green. We all work a bit differently depending on the photos that we are supplied. Sometimes we work from several photos and draw with pencil before committing paint to canvas. Often we will simply draw directly on the canvas using paint. No matter how we start the end result is a colourful representation of a special individual who was loved.

Shairl Honey painting Captain Jonathan Snyder

Project Heroes™ Artists at the Debney Armoury Studio

Project Heroes™ moved into the Debney Armoury studio this week. Soon this big space will be filled with portraits, a big tree with yellow ribbons (more on that later), pedestals to hold tablets for soldier's stories, three 6x9 foot paintings and much more! The military has been incredibly generous and supportive. Thank you Canadian military.

Susan Abma painting Corporal Randy Payne

Cindy Revell painting Private Chad Horn

 

Philip Debney Armoury studio

We set up more of our things in our new studio space in the Debney Armoury today . It is so amazing to have this fantastic space to work in, and for the three artists to be able to work together. Up until now we have each worked in our own studios and then travelled about three quarters of an hour quite regularly so we could meet to discuss progress of the project. We had to 'meet in the middle' to have meetings etc., and it took a lot of time in meetings because we always had so much to catch up on. We spent a lot of time sitting in Edmonton restaurants - thanks to them all for providing our free meeting space. :) We can now discuss things quickly every day as they arise, and then paint. Such a timesaver compared to spending long meetings trying to catch up with everything. Painting together is very inspiring and we are able to discuss information we have for each of the soldiers, plan details of the exhibition, etc. This generous and supportive gesture by the military, of allowing us space in the armoury,is a blessing and will be so incredibly well-used and appreciated. From the start of this project, we have been overwhelmed with the support we've received. We started out wanting to honor our Canadian soldiers for their service in Afghanistan, including the fallen, the wounded, families of soldiers, and veterans. We believed that the portraits of the fallen should be done with cooperation from the families, and that their participation would give us, and later all Canadians, a greater insight into the men and women behind the uniforms. We never knew how profoundly it would affect our lives, how important the families would become to us, what incredible people would volunteer their time and that the military would be such a huge support. We're so proud to be doing this project, and we're so thankful for the many ways that we're being helped along the way. This is truly a joint, all-Canadian effort to honor our troops. Thanks to every one of you. Whether you're actively involved in the project, or helping us by spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter, etc., we appreciate you all.

New studio space

We have such exciting and amazing news!!!! The military has graciously provided space in the Debney Armoury on the southside of Edmonton for us to use as studio space so we can finish this project all together in a single location. We are so thankful, grateful, and excited to be in the lovely space with fantastic natural lighting. As soon as we're settled in and we know more, we'll let everyone know any days that we are able to have visitors to the studio. Thank you all so much for your support of Project Heroes, and your interest in what we're involved in. We appreciate you all so much.

Project Heroes to Contribute to Edmonton Opera's Fidelio

PRESS RELEASE

April 15, 2012

Edmonton, AB

Project Heroes™ is excited to be included in Edmonton Opera's production of Fidelio at the Jubilee Auditorium. Susan Abma, Shairl Honey, and Cindy Revell are preparing a display and presentation for the opera patrons. The artists, who are the creative spark for Project Heroes™ will be available to respond to requests for information and more. Keep watching for more information about Project Heroes™ and Edmonton Opera.

What is Project Heroes™ and what does it consist of?

• An interactive, educational art and multimedia cross country exhibition inspired by 158 incredible men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Afghanistan mission.
• A symbolic eight foot tree covered in 158 yellow ribbons representing each of the fallen soldiers, complete with the soft sound of wind and wind motion that will gently move the ribbons.
• An intimate view of the 'soldier behind the uniform' through oil portraits created from family photos and in depth stories as remembered by their families.
• Interactive multimedia of family photographs, stories, music, videos and letters that capture the essence of each soldier.
• Panoramic 6x9' paintings featuring gripping depictions of the travails of the waiting families, the wounded, serving soldiers and veterans of all wars.
• Several 16"x20" paintings of various scenes and still lifes that represent the soldiers' and families' personal experiences. These will be reproduced as prints for marketing and fundraising.
• Eight to ten mannequins that will wear soldiers' uniforms and speak quotes from the soldiers.
• A full colour hardcover book including the portraits, soldiers' stories, the panoramic paintings, scenes and still life collection and the story of Project Heroes™.       
• A national tour to bring the exhibition to all Canadians starting in 2013.

 What Makes Project Heroes So Special

• The artists paint from family photos that breath life into each portrait with personality and spirit. 
• They work closely with the families of the fallen to bring each soldier's journey to life using family photos, personal mementos, videos, soldier's poetry, family stories and much more. 
• The use of interactive multimedia enriches the soldiers' stories in a unique way through individual tablets that gives us the ability to continuously add digital information over time. 
• A comprehensive artistic experience that will give Canadians the opportunity to personally connect to these brave spirits, gain inspiration from them, and strengthen our collective pride in Canada's achievements. 

 Who is Project Heroes?

• Project Heroes™ began with portrait artists, Susan Abma, Shairl Honey and Cindy Revell who wanted to say thank you to the soldiers and their families and share their inspiring stories.
• A steering committee including a radio personality, media professionals, business people and an MP along with a group of dedicated volunteers who passionately support this vision.
• A charitable organization, part of Canadian Fallen Heroes Foundation.

For more information on the Edmonton Opera collaboration with Project Heroes™, the Project Heroes™ Exhibition, and the upcoming Project Heroes™ Tour, please contact Robert Laporte, Exhibition Manager,  (780) 986-0789    

Project Heroes, Box 3449, Leduc, AB, T9E 6M2

Project Heroes™ has lots of exciting things happening and you can now find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/projectheroes. Some of the most recent paintings are there as well as other information about the project.

If you don't have Facebook, email info@projectheroes.ca and request an information sheet that gives up to date information about the project and we'll email it to you.

Thanks so much for your interest in Project Heroes.

Momentum building for Project Heroes™

We have been incredibly busy with Project Heroes™ lately. A lot of the recent work has been administrative and board work in relation to getting society status and working on charitable status.

That doesn't make for great literative fodder or superb photo ops on the blog, so it's been pretty dismal for updates, but as 'boring' as board stuff might be, I am excited to share some of it with you because the results are so darn exciting and there's so much great stuff going on behind the scenes.

We have formed our society board and it is loaded with people who are passionate about honoring the fallen and wounded soldiers. There are, of course, the three artists involved in painting the fallen soldiers. In addition, the board includes Chris Aanderson - our technical specialist from Westworld Computers who is also extremely knowledgeable about military history, Michelle Bartsch - a relation of fallen soldier Cpl. Cole Bartsch, and Lesley Primeau - radio personality from CHED radio. Did I say 'personality'? That should really be capitalized, bolded and underscored. What an amazing resource she is for us, and a whole lot of fun to be around. Danny Hooper has agreed to assist us with fundraising ventures, and Debbie Walker - Project Leader with 630 Ched Santa's Anonymous is our consultant about the charity and society related issues. Accountant Jim LeBrun has agreed to assist with accounting needs - thank God for people who actually LIKE to do books!

We also have a very enthusiastic and personable volunteer - Julie LaChapelle - who will help with various aspects of the project as we progress. Julie is married to a Canadian soldier based in Edmonton.

Together with the board, we now have pre-planned virtually all aspects of the eventual national exhibitions, and we are working on getting all the pieces in place.

As we move along, we will have many needs. We will begin posting them soon and if anyone can assist with those needs, or knows someone who can, we need all the angels we can get.

We are so honored to work with the families of the fallen to create oil paintings that will commemorate those heroes long into the future.

Although the hours are long and the pay ain't great, haha, (this project is 100% volunteer - including the artists, the board and all others who are committing time and effort) we are so incredibly proud to be able to give something back to our men and women who gave all they had.

Shairl, Cindy and I will be getting together very soon for a 'mini-marathon' of painting and we'll post some of those pictures very soon. We often paint alone in our own studios, but our 'mini-marathons' are just short retreats where we paint together.

Again we'd ask that if anyone who follows our blog or twitter, etc, knows any family members of the fallen who we have not yet contacted, please let them know that we'd be very happy if they'd contact us at any time. info@projectheroes.ca or 780-986-0789.

— Susan Abma

Soldier portraits displayed at Northlands in Edmonton

Susan Abma, Shairl Honey and Cindy Revell

We had an amazing week recently sharing Project Heroes™ at Northlands during rodeo week (CFR). We had about 16 of the fallen soldiers’ portraits there and we were painting on site. We met a lot of people, including friends and family of the soldiers. We thank everyone who stopped by our booth at Northlands to share your sentiments, sign our sheets in support of the troops, and/or donate to assist the project.

We feel so invigorated by the overwhelming support and we feel so proud to be able to commemorate the heroes who fought in Afghanistan to make a difference for our tomorrows. It was humbling for us to meet so many members of the military who served alongside the soldiers whose paintings we had on display. Although we've effectively volunteered the next 'who knows how many years' to this project, we've already been so richly rewarded by the response from the families, other soldiers, and the public. There is an indescribable sense of satisfaction in knowing that what we're doing is important, impactful and will ensure our present day heroes are remembered for generations to come.

Shairl Honey's portrait of Andrew "Boomer" Eykelenboom is gracing the labels of Boomer's Canadian Red Ale which just made it's debut this past weekend. Of each beer that is sold $1.00 goes to Boomer's Legacy which directly supports the people of Afghanistan affected by poverty and war with emphasis on programs and services for women and children. Boomer's Canadian Red Ale is brewed by Howe Sound Brewing Company.


Walter Zicha, Shairl Honey, John Ohler, Vice President and Manager of Sales and Business Development

Shairl with General Rick Hillier (retired) co-founder (Colonel Kevin Reed) of Project Hero, a program that provides undergraduate scholarships to children of fallen soldiers. www.projecthero.ca

Maureen Eykelenboom, mother of Corporal Andrew Eykelenboom (Boomer) with Shairl. www.boomerslegacy.ca
We're incredibly proud to be one of the organizations that are working hard to help soldiers and their families. We can't wait to taste the beer, and toast Boomer.

Project Heroes At The Canadian Finals Rodeo

Project Heroes™ will be hanging out with the cowboys and cowgirls this week. If you're attending Farm Fair and Canadian Finals Rodeo you'll find us in the Dodge City Western Art Gallery at Northlands from Nov. 10-14th. We'll have our easels set up and will be working our most recent soldier paintings, in addition there will be several completed portraits on display. Look for the great big horse mural, we're right in front of it. We're excited about this week long opportunity to share Project Heroes with the public and if you're coming out to the rodeo we hope to see you. Giddyup!

Society Status Underway

Although we may not have been in contact much over the last several months, we have been very busy and a lot has happened with Project Heroes™.

At long last, after many meetings, after creating bylaws and objectives, etc., we have applied to become a Society.

This will mean many things for Project Heroes™. First, we'll be able to apply for federal charitable status and will hopefully be able to issue tax receipts in the near future. It means we're working together with expert assistance of volunteer board members, and it means we'll be able to accept other members to the society. How exciting it will be if you all become members of the Project Heroes Society.

It also means we'll be scouting out volunteers to assist with things like fundraising, membership, looking for venues, bookkeeping, data entry, etc. If you would like to assist with the project, please let us know - we can certainly use you now or in the near future.

And we will be in contact much more often now that we're finished much of the organizational 'stuff' and things are back in full swing . Please feel free to contact us at any time - info@projectheroes.ca or 780-986-0789. And, please follow our blog by clicking on the 'Follow' button in the right hand column. We sure appreciate your support.

Our Blog is Back

You may have noticed in the last several posts that there are two dates, one for the date that the event occurred and another for the date that it was re-posted on this blog. For a while the blog was on our website but our readers seemed to prefer this format so we're back and have posted those months here.

Interview With Darcia Arndt

July 7, 2010 – 8:53 pm

Recently I met with Darcia Arndt, widow of Master Corporal Raymond Arndt. What she said when I left her home was so true; “we had a lovely visit!” We got together so that we could choose a photo of her husband for me to paint and to talk about him so that I could know more about the man whose portrait I would be working on. I found there was not enough time for us to talk and share all the wonderful stories and events, and look at all the beautiful photos of her and her husband’s lives during the few years they shared together. There never is enough time!
I must thank Darcia for making me feel so comfortable in her home, for all her time, and for her being so open and sharing during our four hour visit! I got to know more about Raymond, and I am looking forward to painting the man behind the uniform.
For Susan, Cindy and me, all of these family interviews so far have been ones of great positive support of our project, and are both a true honour and a sad delight to experience.
Shairl

What Our Soldiers Do

May 19, 2010

Recently we went to hear Maureen Eykelenboon talk in Spruce Grove where she spoke to the audience about her son Andrew for whom she created Boomer’s Legacy. Maureen talked about his experiences in Afghanistan and his conviction that what he was doing there was important work, something we hear from every single family that we talk to. She told us about his heroic moments in which he saved Afghanistan lives, treated some of the Afghan people who have no access to medical care, what life as a medic or soldier is like, and some of his thoughts. “Mom, people in Canada have no idea of what having nothing means, even our street people have more than those in Afghanistan”. And this “About two weeks ago a little girl brought her infant sister to the UMS while I was on duty. She had 2nd degree burns on her hand from touching a kettle. I bandaged her hand and after gave a doll that your friend made to her. She instantly stopped crying and started sucking on the nose of the doll. A special thanks goes from her elder sister to your friend for such a wonderful gift; and a thanks from me for being the one to accept her gratitude. Making the children happy is the most rewarding thing about this tour. Love Andrew”.

In May 2006 Andrew saved the life of Niaz Hussaini, an Afgan interpreter with the Provincial Reconstruction team. Maureen was lucky enough to meet Niaz on a visit to Afgahanistan and see for herself the impact our Canadian soldiers are having on the people of this country.

Maureen played a slide show of the photos that remained on Boomer’s camera when he died. It was an excellent look at the life of a soldier in Afghanistan and the good work that they are doing to restore order and give the people a sense that they are being cared for. Thanks Maureen. Thanks Boomer.

We hope that the portraits and exhibitions will be able to show some of the magnitude of what our soldiers have done and have given up to do so. Their families too.

Interview on the Primeau Show

April 14, 2010 – 7:25 pm

Lesley Primeau, Shairl Honey, Susan Abma and Cindy Revell

We were on 630 CHED radio March 13 and Lesley Primeau asked us back on her show again April 6. This was a wonderful opportunity to talk about the project in a very public way and we had great response, with parents of the fallen soldiers phoning in, and several donations to help pay for the costs.

Our very sincere thanks to Lesley and 630 CHED for helping us share Project Heroes™ on the radio and for putting a link to our website on their site and on Lesley’s blog. Our heartfelt thanks also to those who donated to Project Heroes™ – we could not possibly do this without your help.

To listen to the show, go to: http://www.630ched.com/other/audiovault.html and put in the date ‘April 6’ and the time ‘6 PM.’ We were on at 6:30, so if you move the bottom bar along until it gets to 34:00, you will be able to listen just to the Project Heroes™ interview without listening to the first half hour of the show.
To view Lesley’s blog, go to http://www.630ched.com/Blogs/PrimeausBlog/BlogEntry.aspx?BlogEntryID=10106345.

Radio Interview on 630 CHED

March 31, 2010 – 9:57 pm

Our interview with Lesley Primeau on 630 Ched was fantastic. Lesley is a lively and engaging host who asked perfect questions and helped get across what this project is really about. Many thanks to our callers for phoning in to support us and sponsor us. Your help is greatly appreciated. We’ve been invited to talk with Lesley again on April 6. We’ll give the exact time when we have more details. Till then we paint and talk to families of the soldiers.

Radio Interview

March 10, 2010 – 9:39 pm

On Saturday, March 13 at 12:00 we’ll be interviewed by radio talk show host Leslie Primeau on 630 CHED. Join us as we talk about how the portrait project got started, what we are doing, why we are doing it, what’s next, and how you can help.

Our Blog Has Moved To Our Website

Welcome to our blog. We have got some exciting news - at least for us! Our website has been redesigned and our blog has been integrated into it. So, now one simple address will get you virtually all of the Project Heroes information.

To go to our new blog: go to www.projectheroes.ca and click on Blog Updates on the top bar. All of our old blog posts have been moved there, so if you're looking for a particular post, you'll still be able to access it.

Thanks so much for following our blog. We will continue to provide you regular updates on Project Heroes.

Edmonton Visit

Shairl (far right) and I recently visited with Sarah Keller, (centre) wife of Cpl. Bryce Keller who was killed in action in August, 2006.

As we gained insight into Bryce's character in order for Shairl to paint his portrait, we also found a kinship with this smart and kind young lady who is also in the Canadian military.

Sarah is currently studying for her nursing degree at the University of Alberta (Edmonton), after which she will use her nursing skills in the military.

As with other soldiers' family members who we have visited, Sarah shared her husband's story openly.

We are so grateful for how open all the families have been and we appreciate that it must be incredibly difficult to do that.

Thank you so much to Sarah and to all the other families who have welcomed us so warmly and allowed us to paint the portraits of their loved ones.

We are truly honored to do this project and will do or very best to make you all proud.

— Susan Abma

*Please note: Our website - www.projectheroes.ca - is being rebuilt and will be down for about two days. It should be back up Dec. 1 or before. We are very proud of our new look and thank Lynda Baxter and www.artincanada.com for redesigning it. We hope you'll check back in a few days to see our newly designed website. Thanks for your patience.

Andrew's Smile

Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom

What a pleasure it was to paint Canadian army medic Andrew James Eykelenboom, or "Boomer" as his mates called him. The first time I learned about Andrew, was when his mother Maureen told his sad but beautiful story "Andrew's Smile" on the radio. I couldn't wait to read about him, visit his home in Comox, meet his parents and hear more of his goofy but sweet humour.

Yes, it has been a pleasure painting your smile, Andrew, and getting to know you.

Shairl

Goodbye Pat and Edmonton soldiers

Saying goodbye to my cousin's fiancé Patrick at the Edmonton garrison was difficult to say the least.

The hall was filled with soldiers ready to leave, their parents, siblings, spouses and children.

As the soldiers waited to go into the line-up to have their bodies and their gear searched, they clung to their wives and children. Most of the spouses had welled up tears in their eyes the entire time, but most of the soldiers stayed fairly straight-faced and tearless, putting on a brave face for their families. The look in their eyes told the story of the sadness they felt leaving their loved ones, especially knowing that there was a possibility that it could be the last time.

Although the soldiers kept a brave face throughout the waiting period, as they left their families to be searched and then board the bus, almost all had tears in their eyes.

It's hard to explain how electric the atmosphere was, full of love, sadness, fear, and even excitement. Even though the soldiers were sad to leave their families, there was a part of them that looked forward to doing what they had been trained to do.

My heart broke as I watched my cousin cry and her daughter wave goodbye to Daddy. As the soldiers walked out of the hall and out of sight, my cousin ran outside the hall and around the building to have a last chance to see her soldier in the bus as it left.

It struck me how solitary life as a military spouse can be. It's hard to think of a child not seeing her Daddy for six to eight months, and again thinking that the worst case scenario is that she could never see him again. As the parent who stays home, the spouse is a single parent and lonely. There are times when they have no contact with their soldier for long periods of time, and they hold their breath as the names of fallen soldiers are announced. They pray that it's not their spouse, and yet are so very sad for the family that does have to deal with the loss.

Shairl, Cindy and I have become so close up and personal with this project that we, too, hold our breath every time another fallen soldier's name is announced. Our hearts break for the families, and we often cry also as we sit with the families and share the stories of the brave soldiers who never made it home alive.

I pray for the safety of my cousin-in-law to be, and all his comrades as they work hard in Afghanistan for a cause they believe is worth dying for. Besides my own family, I don't know if I'd ever be that brave for anyone else. I am thankful for everything these soldiers are doing for us, for our country, and for the people of Afghanistan.

God bless them all.

—Susan Abma

Deployment

Tomorrow I will be heading to the Edmonton Garrison to say goodbye to a group of soldiers being deployed to Afghanistan.

This time it hits home more than ever with me. One of the soldiers has a child with, and is engaged to my cousin.

This project has always been very personal to me, but sending Pat off to the war in Afghanistan and sharing the pain my cousin feels as he leaves, is even more personal than this originally set out to be.

When this project tugged at my heart and started to become my priority, my cousin hadn't even met Pat yet. I had no connection with the military at all - I just felt strongly that the soldiers who put their lives on the line needed to be commemorated in a lasting and special way.

In only a few short years, many more soldiers have died, and my cousin met, fell in love with, and had a child with an Edmonton soldier. They are scheduled to be married on the base in June of 2010, when Pat returns from Afghanistan.

Along with Pat, many other soldiers will board a bus bound for the Edmonton International Airport, where they will then board a plane bound for Afghanistan.

These soldiers believe in what they are going there to do and they want to do what they were trained for, but one can only imagine that deep beneath their courageous exteriors there is a fear of what they will face when they get there and also whether they will return home to their mothers, wives, husbands, children and other family members.

I commend their bravery and their commitment and my greatest hope is that all the prayers that Canadians will be saying for them in the coming months will keep them strong, uplifted and safe from harm.

Godspeed!

- Susan Abma

Cpl Shane Keating

Painting this portrait of Corporal Shane Keating was, for me a humble but extremely rewarding experience. I must thank his mother, Judy Budd, for making it possible for me to get to know Shane; for sharing her photos, the letters, the stories of this exceptional young man and Shane’s writings in his own hand. Not only do I feel honoured that I was able to paint Shane’s portrait, I feel blessed to have met a wonderful new friend, Judy, who is also an artist.

Shairl Honey

Support Our Troops Gala

Wow! We had an unbelievable evening Saturday!

We had the exceptional good fortune to attend the CFPSA Support Our Troops Gala at Edmonton Northlands.

Approximately 700 people gathered at the new, massive, Exhibition Hall E to raise funds in support of the troops and their families. (See www.cfpsa.com for more information)

We are not getting paid for doing the portraits of the soldiers, so at $225 per seat we would, under normal circumstances, not have been able to attend this incredible event. We very much appreciate Don's Power Vac of Edmonton, that sponsored our tickets (www.furnaceman.ab.ca).

At the event we were fortunate enough to meet General Walt Natynczyk and his wife Leslie, who is the head of the Military Families Fund. They were so warm and expressed their appreciation of how Project Heroes is honoring the fallen Canadian soldiers. It was our incredible honor to be able to talk with them both and we certainly hope to work with the Military Families Fund in some way in the near future.

We also visited with Maureen Eykelenboom, the exceptional woman at the helm of Boomer's Legacy. Boomer's Legacy was named in memory of her son Corporal Andrew “Boomer” Eykelenboom, after he was killed by a suicide bomber in Spin Boldak, Afghanistan, in August 2006.

While other funds help the soldiers and their families at home in Canada, Boomer's Legacy provides humanitarian needs, medical care and tools for education for the people of Afghanistan. (See www.boomerslegacy.ca for more information).

Our work through Project Heroes, will be to thank the fallen soldiers and their families for their service and sacrifice. (www.projectheroes.ca)

We hope that everyone will consider supporting whatever of these causes touches their hearts as they all need your support to exist.

While at the gala, we met many soldiers - some who have already served in Afghanistan, and some being deployed in October. Their dedication to their country and their bravery in facing possible injury or death to serve their country was humbling to say the very least. Each time we meet the soldiers who have served or will serve in war stricken areas, we are even more thankful for the ability to work on the fallen soldiers' portraits for Project Heroes. It's our way to thank these heroes who serve us all so selflessly.

At the CFPSA gala, we were treated to the wonderful humor of Jessica Holmes (Royal Canadian Air Farce), and the music of Blue Rodeo.

There were so many added little 'treats' for the crowd, like when one of the musicians took the mouthpiece of his trombone and put it in a rifle and played the rifle. Having never seen this done before, we were astounded and excited about how unique it was as well as how beautiful it sounded.

Military drummers played in unison and it was a delight to watch their synchronized moves, especially when the lights were dimmed and their drumsticks and parts of their uniforms glowed in the dark.

Congratulations to the organizers of this event. The gala was top-notch and we were proud to have had an opportunity to attend and help Support Our Troops.

- Susan, Shairl and Cindy

Completed Portrait

Corporal Cole Bartsch

Another painting is finished. Each portrait represents a life and we are reminded how special these young people who have given their lives are. Not everyone can do what they have done and we are grateful to them and their families.

Cindy Revell

Cpl. David Braun

The completed portrait of

Cpl. David Braun

As we work on Project Heroes™, it is important to us to convey an indication of the soldiers' characters - something that is hard to achieve from their official military photos that are quite serious and straight-faced.

Cpl. David Braun was a sincere pleasure to paint. My studio was so cheerful looking at this handsome, smiling soldier as I completed his oil portrait.

I made a preliminary drawing (see below) and put a layer of color on without worrying about being too exact with the drawing as it changes slightly here and there as I apply paint and reassess it.

Each layer builds the painting to a higher level. I build my skin tones from the basic undertones, which in this case was very pink. I work in layers often, but occasionally tackle a portrait more directly, depending on how I think I can achieve the best result.

It was our sincere pleasure to have spent time with David's mother, getting to know a lot more about him. This helped have a true sense of what he was like which is essential in order to create a good portrait.

Every time we meet with the families, I am awed by their openness, their sharing, and their strength. Without their support, we would be unable to do this and we thank them for that, as well as for the incredible sacrifice their soldier made. We hope that this project will help ensure their loved one will always be remembered.

- Susan Abma

The rough drawing and start of

the first layer.

Getting closer to completion.

Painting with friends

For several summers now, Shairl (centre) and I (right) have spent three weeks in Newfoundland painting scenes there en plein air (outdoor painting).

Although we have a fairly grueling schedule while there, painting from sunup to sundown most days, it is well worth it because it helps keep our painting skills finely tuned, and it is also a lot of fun.

This year was extra special for us. We were very busy painting portraits of fallen Canadian soldiers before we left, so we took a couple of the portraits with us to work on in case there was a rainy day that we couldn't work outside. We were also very fortunate to also take along Judy Budd, mother of one of the fallen soldiers (left).

Judy used to paint, but for the last three years since her son died in Afghanistan, she had not picked up a paintbrush. When Shairl and I visited her earlier this year, we immediately liked this woman and within a few hours of talking to her we invited her to join us on our painting trip this summer. A day or two later she accepted.

Although she hadn't painted in several years, she painted with us every day and when our trip was done, she had created as many paintings as I did. For those who don't paint, that may sound easy, but it is actually hard work and not very comfortable at all. We painted at the edge of the ocean some days and we were so cold that we painted with as many layers of sweaters that we had with us and had shirts tied around our heads and socks on our hands to be able to withstand the wind and bitter cold. Other days, inland, the heat and sun were brutal. In the evenings we had to fend off mosquitos, some days we were rained on...

Not only did Judy stick with the painting (and us), but she created some excellent paintings and she kept us laughing with her great sense of humor.

Now that we are home and getting back to painting 'our' fallen heroes, we are doing it with an even greater connection than ever before, and we feel so blessed by the new friendship we have made with Judy, and the friendships that are developing with families of other fallen soldiers.

In the photo above, Shairl is shown with the painting that she painted of Judy while Judy was painting a NFLD scene. It will always remind me of the strength, determination, and wonderful kindness and humor of our amazing new friend, Judy.

- Susan Abma

Still Life -Commemorative Painting

Work on our soldier portraits carries on and in the meantime we've taken photographs of of some of the gear that the soldiers carry. The photos will be used for a number of commemorative paintings that we'll be doing, a few of which will be still life. One of the first steps in preparing to do a still life is to set up the objects you plan to paint. Ordinarily I like to paint directly from life whenever possible but since the equipment had to be returned the next day the only opportunity to paint it would be from photos. I took many pictures of the gear in different positions and will choose the ones that I like best, eventually one or more of them will become a painting.



When I started to set up the first items my cat Spike came along to supervise. An hour or so later Pete my nosy, little mutt had to investigate too.



- Cindy

Personal Time With A War Hero

This pencil drawing was done with the photos of Cpl. Shane Keating at hand. I wanted to explore his face and get to know his structure before starting the portrait painting.
Drawing out these heroes before I start painting them gives me personal time to get to know them.
I can imagine their strength, their love of Canada, and their dedication to their cause.
It's important to me to attempt to capture not only their physical self, but their spiritual self as well.
- Shairl

Project Heroes Thanks Its Sponsors

Another Canadian soldier has recently died and it makes us nervous to see a soldier friend leaving for Afghanistan. Thank you for the courage and generosity of spirit that takes you across the world to make life better for the people of Afghanistan.

We also want to recognize the friends who have sponsored this project so far. Your financial help is a wonderful way to say thank you to the soldiers. It's also your support that will help us see this project to the end. When the paintings are done and the exhibition is up it will be an incredibly touching way for Canadians to show their gratitude to Canadian soldiers.

Painting Portraits on Canada Day

Today we Canadians celebrate our country's 142 birthday. We're a quietly patriotic nation with a deep love of this huge land with it's many wild places and just like our anthem says we are indeed strong and free. Giving others the strength and the means to become free is what our soldiers are working toward in Afghanistan. As we paint our soldier portraits today we'll be thinking of those young men and women who gave their lives so that others could have freedom.

Happy Birthday Canada.

Cpl. David Braun - preliminary drawing

This is the preliminary drawing of Cpl. David Braun. Since Cindy showed the method of beginning the painting by 'drawing' in paint, I've done a pencil drawing as the beginning of this painting. I usually do more of a 'cartoon' when I'm drawing in pencil to later paint. There is little need for detail - just some markings that tell me the angle of the eyes, nose and mouth, the edge of the face perhaps, and the top of the head and chin. This one has more detail so you can compare the drawing with the painting at a later date.

Now that I've completed the preliminary drawing, I'm ready to start applying paint. I'll supply more photos as I go along.

-Susan

Work in Progress - Portrait of Corporal Cole Bartsch

Corporal Cole Bartsch-Work in Progress
Work in Progress-Stage 2

This is the second stage of the painting with all areas roughly blocked in with the approximate colours. At this stage there's no detail and I'm not too fussy about getting exact colours, my goal is to get the canvas completely covered with paint and try to stay true to the oil sketch which ultimately gets covered up. I had an illustration assignment to do so I only had time to block in the background and shirt.

The next day after taking care of some business aspects of art (the part I don't particularly like) I added Cole's beret and got the first layer of paint on his face. Luckily the painting isn't dry yet so I can paint wet in wet which I prefer. I'll be fine tuning the colour and shapes, making sure that the drawing is accurate, adding details and the pattern to the uniform. It looks like I've wandered a bit from my oil sketch (see post from June 12) so I'll have to make some adjustments here and there.

We're painting from photos given to us by the families and most often the soldiers are dressed in civilian clothing and are in candid situations. It's necessary to delete backgrounds and other people from the photos and add what is needed like the beret and uniform. We paint a background that is flattering to skin tones, add the berets and uniforms, and pose them all in a similar manner so that the paintings will look like a cohesive unit when they're displayed together.

Cindy

Composition Issues

Susan - Every now and then a painter has a painting that just isn't working for one reason or another, and this one is problematic for me. There are some things that work well - I like the soldiers marching into the distance on the right and I like the main soldier and the way he fades into the soldiers marching.

The problem is the 'bloom' of faces behind him. There's some glare on the photo, but still you can see how the faces look like a flower growing out behind the main soldier's head.

It doesn't matter how excellent our skills are, or how long we've been painting, we still occasionally create paintings like this one that I've had great challenges with and may eventually have to put in the scrap file if a really great idea doesn't arise quickly.

So, if you have any ideas, feel free to comment. In the meantime, wish me luck with this one and I'll either post the end result, or let you know if it hits the scrap heap and I start again.

Portrait in Progress-Corporal Cole Bartsch

Corporal Cole Bartsch
Initial Drawing in Oil, 14 x 18

We are working on commemorative paintings and the portraits. Each of us has a slightly different approach to a painting but I always begin by drawing my subject in oil directly on the canvas. I prefer to do my drawing in one session but it doesn't always work that way. Once I feel the drawing is accurate I begin blocking in the colour. I'll post the block in as soon as I get a chance to get back to the easel but for today I have an illustration job to do.

This project has many aspects to it besides the portraits and there's much to plan. Meanwhile the regular work of our businesses and families carry on as though there were no project. A living must be made and my commissions and illustration assignments continue to roll in which makes for a jam packed schedule, but am I complaining? Not a chance, I couldn't be luckier and I know Susan and Shairl feel the same way.

-Cindy

Shairl Follows ‘Andrew’s Smile’ to Vancouver Island

Shairl (left) with Maureen (right) This incredible quilt was a gift made by a neighbor friend that honours not only
Andrew but other soldiers that have died in previous wars.

“I have to meet this mother; I want to paint her son!” said Shairl as she listened to Maureen Eykelenboom share her story called ‘Andrew’s Smile’ on CBC Radio.
Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom died on August 11, 2006. He was the first Canadian Forces Medic to be killed in Afghanistan. “Andrew was packing up to go home, but he volunteered to go out on the day he died”, said Maureen. She spoke of how Andrew lived his life to the fullest but always had time to help others.

As Shairl visited with the Eykelenboom family in their home in Comox, B.C. she observed the many plaques, photos, and commemorative items throughout the house that honored Andrew as a brave hero, soldier and medic. Through Maureen’s stories Shairl learned that Andrew’s sensitivity and compassion for all peoples was evident even as a young boy.

Shairl feels she knows this young son of Maureen and Hans a little better now. It will be an honour to paint him. She will start his portrait tomorrow.

A Visit With Corporal Cole Bartsch's Family

Susan and I (Cindy) recently had a visit with the family of Cole Bartsch, one of the soldiers who died on July 4, 2007. We heard about Cole's love for the outdoors and comics, his antics, his great respect for the military, and his deep love of family. And photos, so many wonderful photos of Cole.

Hearing about him and seeing his pictures and bedroom will make painting his portrait all that more poignant.

Cole's parents want his name and the wonderful young man that he was to be remembered. Project Heroes™ is a way we can remember our fallen soldiers and show our deep gratitude, even so it seems as though we can't say thank you enough for what the soldiers and their parents, siblings, extended family, and friends have given up.

Thank you Bartsch family. Thank you Cole.