Artist Puts Honoring Vets to Canvas

Like many landscape artist, Steve Alpert is drawn to beautiful skies, seas and pastures. But where he separates himself from the fray is in his creations inspired by the scenes and the experiences of those in war, a inspiration that is on display at the through November.

Alpert is featuring two military paintings in the show; one depicts a portrait of a soldier that Alpert painted from a photograph taken by American soldiers in Iraq. The other is an abstracted landscape with a helicopter flying in the distance.

Alpert’s unexpected interest in military paintings first bloomed eight years ago after seeing a newspaper photograph of a flying Blackhawk helicopter as using it as the subject for a painting.

Then, military paintings started to work themselves into his collection more and more, incuding images of soldiers in dress uniforms and paintings of images of Iraq based on photographs taken by soldiers. Alpert’s time is mostly spent making landscape paintings, but his passion grows daily for ways to pay homage to veterans, he said.

Alpert realized his soldier-inspired paintings had “a purpose to serve” by raising money for organizations caring for veterans. So far, donated paintings have raised nearly $38,000, Alpert said. Organizations benefiting include Fisher House and The Bob Woodruff Foundation.

Donating military paintings is his way of honoring sacrifices made by those protecting America and its way of life, Alpert said. His paintings do not depict the horror of war, but symbolically focus on the sacrifices made by soldiers and their wartime experiences. Alpert has never served in the military but feels guilt that he wasn’t drafted during Vietnam, he said.

“The military paintings are very important to me,” Alpert said. “They allow me to participate in the world in a very unique way. Being able to honor people who risk their lives for a cause gives me deep satisfaction … You don’t have to serve, to serve.”

Alpert has chronicled his discovery, through his art, for a passion to honor veteran in a new memoir, “Worth Fighting For: One Man’s Journey.”  The book will be released on Veteran’s Day by Library Tales Publishing. The book was co-written with Gary Cohn. Alpert is scheduled to appear on liveFoxnews.com at 11 a.m. on Veteran's Day to discuss the book and his journey.

The painting, “Legacy,” is leading Alpert in yet another path. It has inspired a play, “The Steadfast," which is currently in development with the expectation of a national tour next year, Alpert said.

“Legacy” depicts eight uniformed soldiers from 1812 to the present lined in front of an American flag and the play is based on the premise of what would happen if the soldiers walked out of the painting to tell their stories, Alpert said.

All of his creative military projects come together when Alpert gives a multimedia presentation on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Bridgehampton Community House. The talk is part of an evening dramatically highlighting the experiences of soldiers and those who love them presented by the Hamptons Independent Theatre.

Painting landscapes and soldier-inspired art have more crossovers than appears, said Alpert. Both types of paintings provide something lasting and can bring peace to its viewers, he said.

The landscapes express “wide open spaces” that simulate the feeling of viewing nature’s beauty. The military paintings also aim for peace. It can be found in the painting’s subtle thanks whispered to those who served in its depiction of wartime experience, Alpert said.

“I thank people in military uniform wherever I go,” Alpert said, who sometimes anonymously buys lunch for soldiers he sees in delis. “It’s an expression of gratitude for the sacrifices these people make for our benefit. It makes their day and it makes mine.”