Officers wives club artists celebrate Air Force's 60th anniversary

  • Published
  • By Mike Wallace
  • Wright-Patterson AFB Skywrighter staff
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE --  The downtown Dayton Metro public library's upstairs meeting room has an art exhibit of 50-plus paintings from the base Officers Wives Club Brush and Palette Group now through Aug. 31. 

The group's 16 members and their instructor put the works on display to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force. 

The artist group chairman, Rebecca Ingebo, said the exhibit had "no central theme."
"They're and eclectic, representational collection and the images are of here or scenes where the women have been in support of their husbands' careers traveling, living and surviving in various parts of the world," Ms. Ingebo said. 

The depictions range from the Great Wall of China to "homey" images of life in Ohio.
Ms. Ingebo said that about half of the women in the group were wives of retired military, and the other half of active duty military. She also said that the base has a "special thing here. Not every base has an art group." 

According to Ms. Ingebo, the group is "a productive and welcoming organization to join and enjoy while supporting their military community through volunteer and special interest groups." 

The Brush and Palette Group has been such a special interest group for "nearly as long as there's been an Officers Wives Club," she said. Some members have been in the group for 20 years. 

Ms. Ingebo especially praised the group's instructor, Steve Suchy. 

"He's been an artist for nearly 60 years and has spent the last 20 or more years to guide novice and experienced artists here." she said. 

Mr. Suchy worked not only as a commercial artist, but also as a portrait painter.
He started novices with drawing, then pastel painting, then water colors and then either acrylic paints or oils, Ms. Ingebo explained. 

The Brush and Palette Group supplies materials for newcomers until they find the medium they prefer. 

For more information about the display, call the library at 496-2665 or 496-8501, or visit http://www.daytonlmetrolibrary.org/content.cfm ?id= 503.