Cezar and Bella, Marine Working Dogs

On September 12th, while we were still in port, we had a chance to meet and sketch some MWD, or Military Working Dogs, which were part of the 24th MEU on the USS Bataan (LHD-5).

We met Cpl Sunsette Winsler, and her tracker dog "Bella," and LCpl James Nemger, and his IED dog, "Cezar II."

We photographed them as they sat with the dogs and tried to have the dogs sit for us as we sketched. We sketched as good and as fast as we could, and had moderate success. What started as a dog portrait session quickly turned into a rapid draw gesture drawing session, where the sketches became more like impressions than portraits! But I think we captured a bit of the personalities of the dogs, if not the exact likeness!

Cpl Winsler and Bella

Away to the USS Bataan!

I just got back from eleven days out with the Navy and Marine Corps, visiting two ships: the USS Bataan (LHD-5) and the USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19). I was given the great privilege of getting on board and underway with the 24th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit), to see them work and train on board the ships, and to sketch and photograph their activities!

I also had the privilege of doing art with several other war artists of note: Marine Combat Artist Col. Craig Streeter,  Marine Combat Artist CWO2 (ret) Mike Fay, and War Artists Victor Juhasz and Richard Johnson. Together we "wandered about smartly," finding people and things to sketch, to document for posterity the goings-on aboard a modern US naval vessel.

Richard Johnson and Michael Fay sketching and photographing Marines of the 24th MEU while they board USS Bataan (LHD-5) September 11th, 2016.

 War Artist Richard Johnson sketching on the fantail of the USS Bataan (LHD-5)  Sept 12th, 2016

War Artist and Illustrator Victor Juhasz sketches in the Ready Room on USS Bataan, September 16th, 2016.