Your Room of inspiration

[jastaflieger]

This past summer , my wife and I decided it was time to move from our home of 21 years, both children are off to college and grad school, time to downsize. So we purchase a smaller home, a cape style , and while it was very hard to leave our home of so many years, where are children grew up, the move has ( with Anne Marie's graciousness) gained a nice spare bedroom for me to convert into an "office" : which is really just a nicer way of saying the room where I put all my WWI aviation stuff in!!
It did get me to think, that maybe it would be fun for us to share our rooms with each other: would be fun to see the room and what is up on the wall that gives Greg vW his inspiration as he writes, or Lance or Jim Miller or whoever, or how about our artists - where do you create, what do you have up on the wall that inspires you?
So I thought I would get the thread started with a few photos of my new room, I am still unpacking- but the room is starting to get that "lived in" feeling.
First photo- top left Russ Smith , below Mike O'Neal, middle of photo Steve Anderson's Voss fight, Jim Dietz's Yanks Mount Up, Steve's watercolor of MvR and on my desk still in its easel Robert Karr's Voss- Albatros

[jastaflieger]

A close up of what I am calling the Navarre corner, Russ's color study of the painting that would become the cover of my book and below the color study of Mike O'Neal's painting - my friend framed that one in a cool fashion, if you look closely he created a linen surround that mimics a wing which makes the color study pop!
jim

[jastaflieger]

here are two more that will need to be brought over, Russ's color study of his yellow jackets painting - which is so detailed really is like a small painting, much more than a color study.
And a new painting by Herr Dietz, which he graciously did for the cover of my next book . Brief story to this painting, I threatened Jim with bringing out "2 for B flight" which he painted last century and he was quite adamant that I do not do that - he then said he would create something in a similar vein - hence strike from above featuring the B flight Camels of 210 sqdn, but now there is also some very accurate Pfalz aircraft from Jasta 30b thanks to Herren Schmaling and van Wyngarden!
jim

[jastaflieger]

I have had this with me for many years, thanks to my dear friend Steve St. Martin, I was almost able to make the trip to France, but last minute could not do so and Steve brought this back for me:: what a treasure!
I wonder how many were produced, the number of signatures is fantastic, even has von Banfield's signature - as I understand it , he was not even officially invited for some reason, but came anyway: now I really wish I had been able to meet the Eagle of Trieste as I am working away on his biography!
jim
does anyone know how many of these signed prints from the meeting are out there?

[MASTIFF]

Originally Posted by jastaflieger

First photo- top left Russ Smith , below Mike O'Neal, middle of photo Steve Anderson's Voss fight, Jim Dietz's Yanks Mount Up, Steve's watercolor of MvR and on my desk still in its easel Robert Karr's Voss- Albatros

Hi,

I see at top right you have Merv Corning's "The Man Who Wouldn't Die" from the Leach/Esterline series. I have the whole set (except the last four which are impossible to find) and several duplicates of most.

All of mine are 11x14 inches, but yours seems to be a different size. Is it from a more recent re-issue of the series?

Cheers,
Tony

[jastaflieger]

Tony,
You spotted something I meant to also describe, you are correct about the image - and it is quite a bit larger than the Leach series prints, it was a one off ( maybe there are several , I am not certain) that was produced to promote the series and it is signed by Mr. Corning, I have mounted it so as to display it, the image looks really good blown up!
I have the whole Leach series, several pieces signed by Mr.Corning, what were the last 4 issued, I am uncertain regards the dates of issue for the various prints.
Also , for anyone interested, Mr. Corning has a series of 4 large prints of WWI aircraft not related to the Leach series that are quite nice as well - there is a Nieuport, a Se5, a SPAD and a Fokker triplane ( flying over a castle I believe): these come up for sale from time to time.
jim

[ONEALM]

does anyone know how many of these signed prints from the meeting are out there?

Jim -

No idea how many posters were produced, but I was given one by Rick Glasebrook back in the 80's and have another, framed, from Neil O'Connor.

I think there were quite a few produced - how many had real signatures on them, that's another story !

The wall looks great BTW... I might have to take some shots at home and keep this thread going... I suspect almost everyone on the forum would be able to share a few shots of their "Inspiration Room".

Mike

[Maxim08]

That is one nifty poster with the signatures etc. I am a little surprised by 'the room of inspiration' theme. I mean, it sounds like there is only one area in your home where the decor is conducive to great thought.

I probably have an aviation themed something in every room and, surprisingly, I am still married.

Small house and narrow main hallway.



All interesting to me, not so much to most of my friends. Blue Max and Aces High movie posters plus mostly WW1 prints, some signed, some not. Russ Smith, Robert Taylor, Bob Bradford etc. My prized Mike O'Neill is in the living room along with one of Russ' colour studies. BTW, my wife once suggested changing the hallway decor so out came the 6' tall poster from 'Grand Prix', the one from Steve McQueen's 'Le Mans' and all sorts of now vintage race posters. The aircraft stuff stayed.

In store are sets of prints ranging from Joe Demarco's pencil sketches to Merv Corning's large prints etc. I suspect that picture framing should have been a career choice.

There's stuff in the bedroom, kitchen, basement, garage, workshop/shed and, of course, the hangar. Some may call it hoarding.....

Regards
John

[ONEALM]

Maxim08's post tossed me over the edge....

My lovely and patient wife has, like John's indulged my aviation interest to a remarkable degree...

Here are a few shots of the mutliple rooms in our home which, like John's all have an aviation presence. What I've left out are the downstairs rooms - family/TV (propeller standing in the corner as decoration, Keith Ferris print, Mark Bray Painting on the walls... ), living room which has *only* 1 aviation painting in it, master bedroom with aviation paintings and a large Lindbergh tapestry....

The following are some shots of the upstairs guest bedrooms - I've commandeered the entire floor - my office/library, and the two guest bedrooms which have been divided into Allied and German...

The walls are not unfinished.. it's a log home...

Allies first -

Russ Smith diptych - "Huns Nightmare" and two of mine



My "Farre tribute" wall - C.46 Caudron, pre-war AVRO Triplane and Da Man - Henry Farre....



German Room -

Left to right - Marsalko drawing, Sanke card(s), a painting of an FAA 253W Albatros under fire from SPA 102 SPAD VII's done for an OtF cover some years ago, Steve Anderson painting, picklehaube and WNW Albatros in the case.



"Diamonds" - done for the Pfalz Company history done by Jack Herris when he still owned Flying Machines Press and some German awards (the look like they need re-mounting !)



Closeup of the Marsalko -




Some of the office...

To the right Duncan R. Grant, Peru, Vt., killed in a mid-air in England in May 1918. I corresponded with his brother Charles H. Grant and ultimately visited him in Vt. The small box to the left of the photo contains Duncan's wings.

213th Aero SPAD painting - S.7731 - The propeller tip to the right is from that airplane flown by 2/Lt. Philip Kissam... A French altimeter and cockpit clock destined for one of the GAAM projects,, German and French field recovered bayonets, Brass plaque of Briggs K. Adams, NJ boy killed while with 18 Sq. RAF, Harold B. Bradley portrait in the center, another NJ boy KIA with 1 Sq in July 1918.

Pokey...


The rest of the room is mostly books... and paintings... and more paintings...

Since we've only be here just a year, there's still a bunch more art work to hang, Nick Galloway, John Clark, a lovely Dietz pencil sketch, Ardell Bourgeois, Bob Keith, a second large Lindbergh tapestry.... so much great stuff, so few walls to hang it all on !

And if that were not enough, Nanette essentially moved us to Pa. (after 50+ years in NJ) so we can be literally right next to the Golden Age Air Museum where I spend most of my time... Her idea, it really, really was... but I approved it immediately..

[ONEALM]

Could not resist adding these -

First thing you see coming in the house....



Family room -

Provenance of the propeller is a little sketchy, but it's clear it was never used since the hub is not drilled...but it does look nice...



Ands lastly, even the kitchen is not immune...