Military Artists Preserve CMTC in Paintings
By Jan Hornung
Army artist, SGT Gene Snyder, sketched two soldiers on maneuvers at the CMTC, Snyder Is from the U.S. Army Center of Military History, Army Art Division, Washington D.C. |
There are a couple of new soldiers in town. They wear the same uniform talk the same lingo, but their eyes see the battlefield in ways most of us do not. Lucky for us, they share their visions through their sketches and paintings. There are only four artists in residence with the U.S. Army Center of Military History, Army Art Division, Washington D.C.
Recently, two of the artists came to the Combat Maneuver Training Center, Hohenfels, to document the training through their artwork. MSG Sieger Hartgers and SGT Gene Snyder spent a few days at CMTC sketching and photographing soldiers for paintings that will remain for centuries.
"Machinery comes and goes, I show the human side," said Hartgers. "(Art) from 600 years ago still relates to us now because it shows the human story; that's what gives us value."
Hartgers has been illustrating U.S. Army life for 23 years. Before that, as a young man in his homeland of Holland, he lived off the paintings he sold in art galleries. In 1971, he immigrated to the "land of opportunity" he said of the United States. Disillusioned over his meager job possibilities, and with mounting bills and with family to support, Hartgers joined the U.S. Army a year later.
Over the years, Hartgers has temporarily been attached to the Department of History to draw and paint special events, such as Desert Storm, for the Army. Then, about a year ago, the graphics documentation specialist MOS expanded to include permanent artists. However, artists from other MOSs are still attached for special assignments. Hartgers landed one of four permanent artist positions. "I like painting and I like the Army. This is best job for me and the Army," Hartgers said. "I consider myself extremely lucky to do this for a living."
MSG Sieger Hartgers drew these soldiers during an evacuation exercise at CMTC, Hohenfels. Hartgers is an Army artist from the U.S. Army Center of Military History, Army Art Division, Washington D.C. |
Snyder also considers himself lucky to be an Army illustrator. He started drawing at the age of 10. By his high school senior year he was taking six art classes. After running out of money while attending the Maryland Institute of Art, he joined the Army as an infantryman in 1989. When he reenlisted in 1991, he changed his MOS to illustrator.
"This is for me," Snyder said. "To be able to document the unsung heroes in the mud, grease, and sweat - it's poetry. A hundred years from now our work will reflect the Army at the beginning of the 21st century."
Snyder and Hartgers will each create 30 to 40 drawings and paintings over the next few months. These pieces will hang along side paintings from military artists dating back to the Civil War. There are over 10,000 works of art by temporary military artists in the U.S. Army Center of Military History, Snyder said.
"I am amazed by the history the collection shows," Snyder commented. "As an Army artist, we can be subjective," Hartgers explained. "We are not censored. We can paint from our own point of view."
The artists tell the story as they see it. However, it isn't always easy sketching a moving tank during a battle at CMTC. So they make rough sketches here and there, or take photographs to look at later while they paint. "I use watercolor to remember the true color in my sketch, Hartgers said. Later, back in Washington, they will create and complete the artwork inspired at CMTC. The will do this in oils, pastels, pencil, and watercolors. The medium is up to the artist. "The media I choose depends on the mood I'm in. If I'm impatient and aggressive that day, I'll use watercolors," Hartgers said. "You've got to be able to rip it up and start over, you can't always have a gem every time you take pen to paper," Snyder added. "People ask me, 'How long did it take you to paint that?' I tell them three hours and 46 years," Hartgers said.
Although the artists are passionate about their job, they also consider it a "curse." "We I are outsiders looking in," Hartgers explained. "This keeps us separated from the group, and sometimes I want to be a part of that group." This is a small price to pay for having something you create go on display for a few hundred years.
While at CMTC, Hartgers visited with his son, SPC Tony Hartgers, HHC 82nd Engineer Battalion, Bamberg who was training at CMTC. Hartgers and son had not seen each other for three years.