|
Heroes.
There's something uniquely American about
heroes.
Sure, other countries have them. But they
don't have guys like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood - the
kind of guys who, although fictional, exemplify the
American way of taking care of business: jump into the
fray both feet first, trusting in God and family, kick
butt and get the job done, and don't expect a lot of
praise for it.
|
|
"Jack"
(Not for Sale)
|
|
All in a day's work.
It is just those kind of heroes who are near
and dear to Kim Pearce's heart. But Kim's heroes are not
the work of some Hollywood screenwriter.
They're real.
They're guys like Kim's brother, Jack,
pictured above, a gunner on an AC-130 who was shot down over Laos while
defending our freedom and remains Missing in Action
Guys
like Kim's father, Ed, pictured below with his
accompanying prison ID, who spent two years as a prisoner
in the infamous Stalag 17 - and can tell you it wasn't
like "Hogan's Heroes."
Guys like Doug Miller, a
neighbor of Kim's who died trying to save the innocent
victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks on Sept.
11, 2001.
Those heroes - the real heroes - are the kind
Kim captures in his paintings.
For Kim, 9/11 opened old
wounds and stirred his patriotic fervor, inspiring him to
paint several pieces in honor of Doug Miller and the
heroes of that fateful day. It also inspired him to honor
his other heroes - his brother and his dad - with their
own portraits. While these pieces are highly personal,
they are also uniquely American.
Click on any of the images to see larger versions and more
information. The prints on this page are not for sale. |
