By Gretchen Sauerman

Staff writer

 

MELBOURNE - For American soldiers stationed abroad, the holidays can be a lonely time.

Local artist John Kalinowski hopes to cheer up the troops by creating the unofficial "World's Largest Greeting Card" for the soldiers stationed in Iraq.

Mr. Kalinowski wants civilians to understand the positive impact holiday items have on soldiers stationed overseas.

"People might think it doesn't matter, but it really does," said Mr. Kalinowski.

A retired major in the U.S. Army, Mr. Kalinowski spent the Christmas holiday in Germany in 1972. While abroad, he said his fellow soldiers would create makeshift holiday decorations to brighten the stark barracks.

During the Celebration of Seniors event at the Eau Gallie Civic Center on Dec. 8, Mr. Kalinowski unrolled a 30-by-3-foot blank scroll that would become the greeting card.

Over the next five hours, a bright pink salutation "Happy Holidays from Brevard County" emerged, with a flamingo with a Santa cap at one end, and a sack of presents under a palm tree on the other end.

Hundreds of the event's attendees signed the holiday card, many offering prayers for the solders' safe return.

Mr. Kalinowski's dedication to creating art for the military dates back more than 35 years, when he became a "nose artist."

Nose artists paint the front of aircraft, often during wartime, in an attempt to personalize the planes and strengthen the bond between the mechanics and pilots.

According to Wikipedia.org, Americans learned about the art form after watching the Germans and Italians, use nose art extensively during World War I.

Many military leaders encouraged nose art as an exercise to boost morale and taunt the enemy. Typical finished products featured pinup girls or cartoon caricatures.

"Some people say nose art started back in World War I," said Mr. Kalinowski. "But it's actually a tradition that goes back to the Romans and Vikings, who used art to personalize their weapons and shields.

"Nose art is one of the most fleeting art forms," he said. "When peacetime comes, and the planes fly home, they take it off."

Mr. Kalinowski is a second-generation nose artist, as his father decorated the noses of World War II aircraft while stationed in North Africa in 1943.

Mr. Kalinowski continues the nose art tradition by hand painting leather bomber jackets with colorful renderings of World War II era nose art.

Mr. Kalinowski's art has adorned more than 200 helicopters, aircraft, flight jackets and museum paintings.

"I've got pieces on every continent except South America and Antarctica," he said.

After completion, the holiday greeting card was sent to the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Brigade, stationed in Iraq.

Mr. Kalinowski's work is currently on display at the Café Flamant, at 313 Delannoy Ave., Cocoa Village. Call (321) 631-0505 for information.

 

Contact Gretchen Sauerman at (321) 751-5961 or e-mail her at sauerman@hometownnewsol.com.