Veteran pilot memorialized in new painting
Southern Alberta and Calgary has a rich history of pilots with names like Barlow, McKnight, and McCall all of which are memorialized with city streets named after them.
Now one of them has become the inspiration for a painting.
Jack Hilton was also one of those famous local pilots. He flew over 100 missions in the Second World War in a Typhoon fighter. He then trained young men to become pilots. Hilton was also a member and volunteer at the Hangar Flight Museum and staff thought he was under represented in Calgary's aviation history, until now.
Executive director Brian Desjardins connected with artist Bany Declair through social media. Declair wanted to donate a painting to the museum and she worked with Desjardins on subject material. Seeing all the historic pilot photos, Declair was drawn to Jack Hilton.
"I think it's a duty to leave something behind," said Declair. "It's a donation, it's not for money and it's for all these young kids and also every hangar needs a pilot."
She spent 13 days creating the colourful painting that measures 4.5 by 2.1 metres. Declair says it's one of the hardest pieces of work she's done.
"I started by exactly drawing Jack Hilton and then I covered the piece with 28, 24 carat gold leaves symbolically and then I covered most of these gold leaves," said Declair.
The painting features Hilton in the middle. On the right is his airborne Typhoon fighter and a European wartime landscape. The left side represents the peaceful Alberta Rocky Mountains, trees and a lake.
"When I came around the corner and I saw it, I knew it was big but when you actually see it up front and how big the canvas is and just to see all the colours and the vibrancy of it," said Desjardins.
Declair was visited by a number of veterans families while she was painting in her Eau Clair Market studio who expressed their gratitude for her work. The painting is called 'Coming Home' and valued at upwards of $20,000.
Declair says she likes to capture the past, present and future in her work. Presently she said the painting represents front line workers.
"I think the general feeling that in this pandemic when we come home it's that feeling of contentment," said Declair. "A little smile in the corner of your lips and this is what I wanted to illustrate in my piece is the feeling, the emotion of coming home."
"I believe it's not just a tribute to Jack Hilton," said Desjardins. "It's a tribute to all air force pilots, particularly in Calgary."
Declair said there are always a few finishing touches that could be added to any piece of art.
"There's a moment you look at your piece and I don't know, there's a magic that happens and you say is it perfect? No. Is the magic there? Yes. Then I accept it."
The Hangar Flight Museum re-opens to the public June 17. At some point in the near future Jack Hilton's family will be invited to the official unveiling of painting.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.