• Frequently Asked Questions • Why are you forming the organization? Why are you forming the organization? Originally the Air Force art program was run through the Societies of Illustrators in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco. Chicago started its own autonomous Air Force group some years back. In our case we chose to do this as the San Francisco Society has lost many of it members through attrition in recent years. And because we knew there were many talented artists beyond the reach of the San Francisco Society of Illustrators we determined that a new Air Force Artist Group should be formed for those us with a shared interest in aviation and the Air Force. Any artist interested in joining our group will be required to pass a portfolio review. Send us six examples of your work. These can be in the form of non-returnable tear sheets or as e-mailed JPEGs. We will then in turn review your work and make a determination for your membership. This is the same process that the Societies of Illustrators use and one we will continue to employ. Being operated in Northern California, can this group effectively keep me involved? Yes, for a number of reasons. The Air Force Art Program flies artists from across the nation to their various destinations. If you happen to live outside the Northern California area, that doesn’t pose a problem...as long as you are within travel distance of a commercial airport or military base. Active communication will be maintained through e-mails, newsletters and this web site. This is truly a program in which where you reside is not any kind of obstacle to participation with us. There are two types of trips. The Air Force Field trips and the bi annual Washington D.C. show. In the case of Air Force Field Trips the Pentagon will contact the NWAFA chairman and say, as an example, they have a trip planned to tour the air bases of Pacific Rim. Once the artist(s) for the trip have been determined, flight arrangements (generally on a commercial airline) are made. Once your trip has begun and you arrive at your destination the Air Force will then begin to act as your host as they show you select aspects of their operations and training. In the case of a Pacific rim trip you might initially land in Honolulu. There you may spend a day touring Hickam AFB then take a military transport to Guam, Okinawa, Japan and finally returning home on the commercial flight. The average trip lasts from three to seven days. What you see on the trips can be as varied as the destinations you’ll visit. You could take a 3 day trip to Edwards to watch a test flight of the F-22. You might go to Whiteman AFB to see the B-2 bomber, or you could head to Seymour/Johnson AFB to take a ride in a F-16. Will I be traveling
with other artists on trips? You may or may not be traveling alone to your destination but once there you will likely be joined by other artists. This is one of the great facets of the Trips. Many artists speak of friendships that have lasted years all because of the shared experience of their Air Force Trip. In the case of the Air Force Field Trips your out of pocket expense is minimal. The Air Force takes care of all your reasonable travel expenses, car rentals (if necessary), and lodging. Meals are taken care of through a per diem arrangement. With the exception of the airfare, these expenditures are initially your responsibility. Save your receipts for your meals, car rental and lodging and the Air Force then reimburses when you return. Film, processing, and personal expenditures are not covered. In the case of the Washington D.C. Show your airfare
is paid for by the Air Force but all further expenses are your responsibility.
You are provided lodging in Visiting Officers Quarters (VOQ) at either
Andrews Air Force Base or Bolling Air Force Base. These quarters, which
are quite nice, are available at a reduced government rate. Both bases
are located minutes from Washington D.C. The D.C. shows occur every other year. It is here that the art created in the previous two years are displayed. This high quality show consisting of 2-300 paintings is now held in the Bolling AFB Officers Club. A black tie gathering with cocktails, dinner, and dancing, this affair is generally attended, in addition to the artists, by both the Air Force Chief-of-Staff, the Secretary of the Air Force, and other dignitaries and Air Force personnel. The Washington D.C. show takes place every other year in mid October, and typically runs from a Thursday through the following Monday. Following the Dinner/Presentation on Friday evening you have three full days to explore D.C. or the surrounding area. Your spouse is welcome to attend this trip at your own expense. When do I have to complete my painting? You have till the month of August prior to the October presentation to complete your painting. For example, there is a presentation this year, 2006, in October. Therefore you have till this coming August to create and finish your art. Once it has been reviewed by the NWAFA committee the art will be shipped to the Pentagon where it is professionally framed for the October show. No digital art is accepted. The Air Force wants only artwork rendered in traditional mediums. What
becomes of the paintings? The Air Force has a climate-controlled repository for the art at the Air Force Academy. Once the artwork is catalogued it may be shipped out to one of a number of U.S. Air Force facilities internationally or may be part of their traveling shows. At any given time 99% of the collection is on display somewhere in the world Can I reproduce my art for my own self-promotion? Yes, you can opt to retain the copyright to your work if you'd like. This gives you the ability to use your work in any advertising you might want to do as well as in the production of posters or limited editions. How does the trip rotation work? The order of artists in line for the trips was determined by who joined first. So if you were the eighteenth artist to pass the portfolio review, pay your dues, and join, then you became the eighteenth on the list. We periodically e-mail out a list that shows the current order of artists for the trips thereby keeping everyone informed as to where they stand. What happens if I can’t go when a Trip is offered? If your name is at the top of the list when a Trip is offered you have the first right of refusal. The Trips can come with as little as a few days to a few months notice. If you accept the Trip, the chairman will notify the Pentagon. He will then work with you and the Air Force to coordinate the various details of your itinerary and keep you informed as to the aspects of your Trip. If you decide you must decline the Trip then your name is moved to the bottom of the rotation. The person next in line is then offered the opportunity to accept or not. In this way we work our way down the list until a available artist is found. This rotation arrangement is the same for everyone in the group. However, moving to the bottom of the list does not necessarily mean you’ll endure a prolonged period without another opportunity. As trips are offered and differing artists have scheduling or timing conflicts the list will invariably cycle fairly quickly through the rotation. However, should you not be able to take a trip or if one was not offered to you, you are still eligible to attend the D.C. show if you want to produce a painting and donate it. The painting will still go through the same review process as those produced from the trips. This option does present a chance to attend the October show even if you couldn’t take a Trip. What
is required of me? You need to have a current passport. This is critical. Of equal importance is the requirement that you keep your Trip commitment once you have made it. The Air Force goes to considerable time and energy organizing these trips and they can’t have artists changing their minds once arrangements have been made. Once you’ve agreed to go, you go. That's why it is so important to consider your work and personal schedules before accepting the Trip offer. You will need a camera to photograph what you’ll be seeing for future reference for your painting. You are free to sketch or paint on site. Also, it’s useful to bring to the trips a certain amount of flexibility. Trip itineraries can evolve as events dictate and as Air force mission deployments change. So going with the flow and having a good attitude are always helpful. In addition accommodations, depending upon the area you are visiting, can be more rustic than some people might like. A recent Trip to the forward areas of Saudi Arabia/Iraq required that the artists stay in tents with the airmen. While this kind of experience is the exception rather than the rule (generally accommodation's are provided in Visiting Officers Quarters or off base Hotels) it still does happen. Rather than apply for nonprofit status and dealing with all that attendant paperwork we are simply running this group as a personal endeavor with a shared interest in the Air Force and aviation art. Therefore your dues will be made payable to fellow NWAFA member Robert Steele. Robert has earned an enviable national reputation as a artist and illustrator and he has graciously agreed to act as treasurer. He will place the checks in an account and will gladly supply an accounting of the funds should anyone ask. This rather low-key approach is the same employed by the Midwest Air Force Artists. How can
I learn more? If you have questions about the Air force Art Program we encourage you to visit their site at http://www.afapo.hq.af.mil/about/aboutArt.cfm If you have any questions about our organization please
feel free to e-mail the chairman, |
