— Artists Kerry Kolke-Bonk and Katia Andreeva spend most of their days in quiet work, dabbling acrylic paints on four-foot by four-foot panels lining the walls of a room inside the
building.
“We’re just hanging out with our guys,” Andreeva responded, tongue-in-cheek, to one inquiry as to what they were doing.
For several weeks now, their entire focus is on creating
individual portraits of Appleton’s 36 veterans who gave their lives in military service
since World War II.
For the first time last week, they welcomed the public to look at what they’ve accomplished so far.
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
“Just absolutely wonderful,” was one of the very first comments uttered as visitors arrived for the open house hosted by the artists on Dec. 5.
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They are using acrylics to create sepia-tone portraits of each veteran. The intent of the Streets of Honor project is to mount these portraits on a triangle of land alongside Highway 7/59 near the southern entrance to town, which is located just before the community’s Flags of Honor Memorial. The veteran’s name and a short narrative will be included on each panel.
At this point, they are about one-third of the way toward completing the portraits, Andreeva said.
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
Appleton has been uniquely remembering its veterans since May 22, 1947. That is when the community renamed all of its streets and avenues for the 26 men who were killed in World War II. The number of streets and avenues in the town exactly matched the number of veterans who did not come home.
The number of named streets and avenues has grown to 36 since then due to the loss of native sons in the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War conflicts.
The most recent loss was that of Jesse Lhotka. He died at age 24 on Feb. 21, 2005, while serving as a team leader with the 151st Field Artillery Battalion in Baghdad, Iraq.
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
Andreeva, an experienced portrait artist, has created an image of Lhotka that won her a thumbs up from his family for capturing his image, and especially the smile for which he is so remembered. Thanks to the family, the artist had access to a variety of modern-era photos of the veteran to help her in her work.
For many of the World War II veterans, the artists have only black and white photos of their subjects. Not all of the photos are very sharp, or even in focus.
But thanks to the open house, their inventory of images used for their work will increase.
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Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
Gerri Kay Schwendemann and her brother Robert Rooney were among the open house visitors. Their uncle, Robert Rooney, is among those whose portrait will be part of the Streets of Honor project the two artists have undertaken.
Robert Rooney died in combat in North Africa on March 27, 1943, at age 23.
Schwendemann brought family photos of their uncle for the artists. When she learned how important these photos are, she promised to return with photos of some of the other deceased veterans who were peers to her uncle.
The images completed of the veterans at this point offer a sense of the unique personality of each.
Asked if she feels as if she’s come to know the veterans as individuals through this work, Andreeva thought a bit. “I feel quite comfortable to be surrounded by them,” she said.
After some more thought, the artist said: “It’s more like you’re giving them another life, that sort of feeling.”
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
Kolke-Bonk had come up with the idea for the portraits. She obtained funding from the
to complete 10 portraits. She recruited Andreeva to assist, and contributions have been coming in to make it possible for them to complete all 36 portraits.
Kolke-Bonk hopes the portraits will help people remember those who gave their lives, and realize what was lost. Almost all of these veterans died as young men, most of them ages 20 to 22, she pointed out.
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The artists’ goal is to have the portraits completed and installed along the highway into town for a dedication on Memorial Day of 2024.
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
Macy Moore / West Central Tribune
