OKLAHOMA CITY – A hand-drawn sketch on scrap paper has become a nearly 35,000-square-foot wellness center dedicated to supporting the mental, physical and spiritual health of Oklahoma National Guard service members and their families.
“This is a big event for us,” said Brig. Gen. Brad Carter, assistant adjutant general, Oklahoma Army National Guard and presiding officer for the ceremony. “Of all the years I’ve worn this uniform, I can’t tell you how excited I am about a facility that we’ve put up. Thank you to everyone who put this together, in particular our congressional delegation and our state legislature, who have been so supportive of the Oklahoma Guard.”
The state-of-the-art facility, constructed by Flintco and designed by Larson Design Group, represents a major step forward in the OKNG’s commitment to the holistic health and wellness of its service members. The center is the first of its kind for the organization, not only in its function but also in its design, working with Verdacity to achieve “Gold” certification under the WELL Building Standard.
The facility’s WELL design focuses on enhancing human health and well-being through the building’s environment, with features that address air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind and community.
The idea for the facility was born from a conversation between Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma, and Lt. Col. Montana Dugger, deputy for the OKNG’s Construction and Facilities Maintenance Office. A simple hand-drawn sketch on scrap paper laid the foundation for a facility that would bring all of the OKNG’s mental and physical health resources under one roof.
“My staff and I drew this [plan] up with pencil and paper, a ruler and a dream,” Dugger said. “If you’ve ever been in engineering or construction more than a day, you know that sometimes things can take five, seven, 10 years to come to fruition, so I had no idea two to three years ago that I’d be standing in front of this building already completed.”
Amenities within the wellness center include a fully equipped workout space for resistance and agility training, indoor and outdoor meditation spaces, a chapel, conference rooms, classroom spaces, and a teaching kitchen.
The facility also houses OKNG programs and services, including Behavioral Health, Chaplain, Equal Employment Opportunity, Family Programs, Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F), Integrated Primary Prevention, Resilience, Suicide Prevention, Substance Abuse Prevention and Risk Reduction, and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response.
“With the availability of a chapel, classrooms and individual office spaces, we have the opportunity for our service members and their families to access many more resources,” said Col. Lindy White, joint resiliency director for the Oklahoma National Guard. “All these services will finally have a home.”
After hearing the story of how the idea came about and knowing the positive effect a facility like this could have — and that it all started on a scrap piece of paper — White asked that the sketch be framed and displayed in the new facility for years to come.
“I’m going to take a line from Col. White,” Dugger said during the ceremony. She said, ‘Sometimes innovation can start with just a sketchpad and a pen.’”
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Massachusetts National Guard Senior Airman Matthew Wright recently completed a five-month fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology through a military collaboration between the Department of the Air Force Artificial Intelligence Accelerator and the private research university.
The fellowship aims to promote the ethical use of artificial intelligence, or AI, while building a sustainable, end-to-end AI pipeline to help maintain U.S. competitiveness in defense and civilian sectors. The program provides exposure to cutting-edge AI research, customized training and a career-enhancing experience.
Wright was among fewer than 3% of applicants selected for the program. He was selected by Col. Scott Ruppel, director of the Department of the Air Force-MIT Artificial Intelligence Accelerator, after briefing him at Otis Air National Guard Base on the 267th Intelligence Squadron’s mission. During the briefing, Wright explained how, as a cyber analyst with the 267th Intelligence Squadron, he leveraged AI to support fellow analysts. He has a strong interest in emerging technologies and AI-enabled systems.
“It was eye-opening to see how much academia is working to solve Department of War problems,” Wright said. “The work being done at MIT Lincoln Laboratory – taking foundational research from the MIT campus and applying it to real-world DAF challenges – is cutting-edge and a key reason the U.S. military remains the most formidable in the world. Programs like this allow talent that might otherwise be confined to a single Air Force Specialty Code [AFSC] to thrive and drive innovation across the Air Force and the DoW.”
During the program, Wright served as the only enlisted Airman on his team and was among the first junior enlisted Airmen selected in the program’s history, contributing operational military and intelligence experience to his projects.
“Junior members often bring a different level of energy,” said Master Sgt. Nathaniel Maidel, research chief for imagery intelligence operations with the DAF-MIT AIA. “They tend to be younger and are not afraid of fresh ideas or taking on challenges that those of us with more experience or institutional knowledge may choose to avoid, given that experience. Senior Airman Wright was no different. His willingness to jump into new domains and engage with experts from different fields helped progress our efforts to make AI real for Airmen and Guardians.”
The Phantom Program immerses participants in advanced AI research and practical application. As a Phantom, Wright worked alongside leading AI researchers, Airmen and Space Force Guardians on a range of projects, contributing his expertise while helping bridge research and real-world implementation.
Throughout the 22-week fellowship, Wright completed 60 hours of independent AI education and contributed to the “Multi-Foundational Models for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Decision-Making” project. The team leveraged foundational research from MIT in collaboration with Lincoln Laboratory at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, focusing on few-shot computer vision models.
In addition to his team assignment, Wright completed an individual capstone project addressing an operational challenge relevant to the 102nd Intelligence Wing and broader U.S. Air Force and Department of War missions. He authored a research paper and capstone brief titled “Synthetic Network Data Generation for Analyst Training,” which explored the use of large language models to generate synthetic malicious network data to enhance cyber analyst training.
“One of the hardest parts about innovation is clearly identifying the problem you are trying to solve,” Maidel said. “Through the Phantom program and his individual research project, Phantoms like SrA Wright bring real issues to research that may be overlooked or under-resourced. He brought a clearly defined problem facing cyber defenders and an idea on how to solve it. The AIA and Phantom program simply provided the opportunity and resources to pursue that solution.”
As a Phantom alum, Wright is now tasked with demonstrating responsible AI implementation within the 102nd Intelligence Wing. He is expected to serve as an AI advocate, fostering a culture of forward thinking while emphasizing that people remain the true AI capability and the technology serves as a tool to support national defense. He will continue leveraging the professional network he built during the program to sustain those efforts.
“Senior Airman Wright is now responsible for promoting the program and mentoring his fellow Airmen who are interested in AI,” said Maj. Phillip Benevides, director of intelligence for the 102nd Intelligence Wing. “As members of the 102nd Intelligence Wing, Airmen have a unique opportunity, through our cooperative agreement with the DAF-MIT AIA, to participate in this premier AI program.”
“I am very grateful for my time at the DAF-MIT AIA,” Wright said. “I learned a lot and developed into the kind of AI talent the DoW needs to stay at the forefront of innovation.”
BARRIGADA, Guam – The Guam National Guard’s 94th Civil Support Team, together with New Mexico Guard’s 64th Civil Support Team and Andersen Air Force Base’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives Response Team, trained Feb. 18 at a clandestine drug lab.
The entry team, composed of one service member from each agency, worked together to detect chemicals, photograph drug-manufacturing equipment and relay information to the command post via radio and live stream.
Lt. Col. Melvin Pilarca, commander of the 94th Civil Support Team, or CST, was at the command post.
“This is a full-scale, all-hazards exercise not only for our unit, but with our partners and first responders in the government of Guam and other military units,” Pilarca said. “It’s just as important that we sharpen our skills as it is to learn to work together across agencies.”
According to Pilarca, the exercise began earlier in the day at the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, where the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency and Guam Police Department tracked suspicious persons to the lab. The Guam Fire Department, or GFD, hazmat team was then called.
“If GFD sees something that is beyond their capability, that’s when they’ll send a request to activate the CST,” Pilarca said. “We have the specialized training and equipment, such as sensors and protective gear, that allows us to perform the Reconnaissance and Site Characterization mission you’re seeing now.”
Pilarca also thanked the New Mexico National Guard, Andersen Air Force Base’s 36th Civil Engineering Squadron, and GovGuam first responders for what he called “the best level of participation we’ve seen in a while.”
“Chemical and Biological hazards can spread like wildfire, including the drugs being produced in this lab,” Pilarca said. “Exercises like this are important because the better we can work together between agencies, the better we can save lives.”
U.S. Navy Seabee Divers assigned to Underwater Construction Team (UCT) One, Construction Dive Detachment Bravo (CDD/B), are conducting ice diving and underwater demolition training with the Estonian Rescue Board (ERB) and Estonian navy divers during an annual bilateral ice exercise scheduled from Jan. 31 to Feb. 17, 2026.
HMAS Stirling, Western Australia – Last November, on the edge of the Indian Ocean, just beyond mainland Australia and across the Garden Island Causeway to HMAS Stirling, a U.S. Virginia-class submarine quietly completed the first submarine maintenance period without the support of a U.S. submarine tender—a specialized vessel that provides mobile repair and supply services.
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo – Engineering within Kosovo Forces Regional Command-East (KFOR RC-E) is not only about clearing obstacles; it is about laying the groundwork for a safe and secure future.
KFOR RC-E is a NATO-led peacekeeping mission focused on maintaining freedom of movement and a safe, secure environment for all people in Kosovo. Engineers from Finland, Germany and the United States routinely support this mission by clearing roadways and obstacles to ensure safe passage throughout the region.
However, most recently, they can now be found improving local infrastructure through community-focused projects, such as building playgrounds for orphanages and conducting debris removal to create safer spaces for building activities like soccer fields.
“My favorite project is the SOS Children’s Village in Pristina,” said OR-7 Christoph S. “The children’s joy shows us immediately how important this support is. It is very satisfying for all of us to be able to help exactly where help is actually needed.”
While KFOR engineers provide the labor, tools and heavy equipment required to complete these projects, funding and materials are largely dependent on local municipalities. Even tasks as simple as debris removal can be challenging when disposal costs are involved.
“We aim to influence municipality leaders to improve infrastructure,” said 1st Lt. Jacob Riederer, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team engineer and Force Protection Chief. “We try to establish those relationships and do the best with what we are given.”
These projects also allow multinational engineering teams to share different approaches to problem-solving, overcoming barriers both literally and culturally.
“Each country has its own way of engineering,” said Riederer. “Everyone does things differently. Jobs get done, but usually not in the way you expected. It adds layers of fun and mystery.”
Each nation brings unique capabilities to the mission. Finnish engineers typically employ heavier equipment such as excavators and dump trucks, while German engineers, as part of an airborne division, rely on lighter, air-transportable equipment like sling loaders.
“These different experiences and thought processes we can take back home with us,” said Riederer. “The first project we finished was the orphanage project. Whenever someone asks my wife what I do overseas, she tells them I build facilities for the Army.”
In addition to community construction projects, engineers maintain capabilities that support long-term stability across the region.
During possible periods of heightened tension, they are prepared to assist with crowd and riot control operations by providing armored personnel carriers for the safe movement of personnel and loaders to clear obstacles and restore freedom of movement.
“Working with the Finnish and American engineers is very straightforward and pleasant,” said OR-7 Christoph S. “Working together is rewarding, and the atmosphere is collegial and friendly, but always professional. Regardless of nationality, we are all pursuing the same mission.”
Whether improving infrastructure for local communities or enabling security operations, KFOR engineers are clearing obstacles today to build the foundation for a safe and secure future.
VICENZA, Italy — The 173rd Airborne Brigade continued to sharpen the edge of its future leadership with a squad leader academy, a weeklong course designed to prepare emerging noncommissioned officers to lead Soldiers in complex, uncertain environments, Jan. 23-30, 2026.
The academy blended rigorous troop leading procedures, maintenance standards and small-unit tactics with a deliberate focus on character, competence and the hard-earned lessons of the brigade’s storied past.
The course, led by 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, “The Rock,” brought together up‑and‑coming squad leaders for intensive instruction on planning and executing squad‑level operations. Training included daily physical readiness sessions from the U.S. Army Holistic Health and Fitness program. Instructors from across the battalion reinforced standards and evaluated students throughout the week, ensuring each leader met the expectations required of a “Sky Soldier” noncommissioned officer.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Briggs, senior enlisted leader of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, addresses current and future squad leaders during the brigade’s squad leader academy hosted at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Jan. 27, 2026. The squad leader academy is part of a series of instructional, hands-on and physically demanding leadership development courses geared toward preparing the next generation of leaders for the future fight. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros)VIEW ORIGINAL
“This academy is about readiness,” said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Benfer, platoon sergeant assigned to 2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment. “We’re preparing squad leaders to deploy into uncertainty, outthink and outfight our adversaries, and bring their Soldiers home with honor. That starts with mastering the basics and understanding the responsibility that comes with leading paratroopers.”
While tactical training forms the backbone of the course, one of the most impactful events came during the “Restrepo Panel,” a leadership discussion centered on the documentary “Restrepo” by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington. The Oscar-nominated film chronicles the 2-503rd’s Battle Company during its deployment to Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley from 2007-2008, where U.S. Army Sgt. Juan Restrepo and several Sky Soldiers died in combat.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Klye Steiner, the assistant detachment commander of 7th Special Forces Group, addresses current and future squad leaders assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, during the brigade’s squad leader academy hosted at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Jan. 27, 2026. Steiner, a former “Sky Soldier,” deployed with the brigade in 2007-2008 to Afghanistan, and drew from that experience to provide insight on the tools necessary for successful training and deployment. The squad leader academy is part of a series of instructional, hands-on and physically demanding leadership development courses geared toward preparing the next generation of leaders for the future fight. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros)VIEW ORIGINAL
Following the screening, students participated in a live video teleconference with Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle Steiner of 7th Special Forces Group and retired Sgt. Maj. LaMonta Caldwell. Both leaders served with the 173rd during the deployment depicted in the film and were present during the events surrounding Restrepo’s death.
Their candid reflections offered the new squad leaders a direct connection to the brigade’s lineage and a deeper understanding of the weight of leadership in combat.
Steiner and Caldwell pointed to the 173rd’s role as a contingency response force, enhanced by their strategic location in Italy, a stone’s throw away from multiple conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Injecting lessons from those conflicts, as well as the everchanging geopolitical climate, makes for realistic training for the brigade.
Current and future U.S. Army squad leaders assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, listen to a panel discussion during the brigade’s squad leader academy hosted at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Jan. 27, 2026. The squad leader academy is part of a series of instructional, hands-on and physically demanding leadership development courses geared toward preparing the next generation of leaders for the future fight. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: MAJ Joe Legros)VIEW ORIGINAL
Students arrived prepared with questions about leading under fire, building trust within a squad, and taking care of Soldiers during the most difficult moments of a deployment. The discussion highlighted the brigade’s belief that readiness is not only technical and tactical, but also moral and emotional.
U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Briggs, senior enlisted leader of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, addresses current and future squad leaders during the brigade’s squad leader academy hosted at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Jan. 27, 2026. The squad leader academy is part of a series of instructional, hands-on and physically demanding leadership development courses geared toward preparing the next generation of leaders for the future fight. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros)VIEW ORIGINAL
“Watching ‘Restrepo’ was required upon arriving at the unit,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Damien Jette, a squad leader and academy participant. “I also served together with Sgt. Maj. Caldwell’s son when he was part of Battle Company, so to connect the family lineage through this squad leader academy has been an amazing opportunity.”
By combining demanding training with the lessons of past Sky Soldiers, the 173rd is shaping leaders who are prepared for the missions ahead, while staying grounded in the history that defines the brigade.
“The lineage really stood out to me [as well as] the work that those squad leaders put into their Soldiers,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Austin Locke, a squad leader participating in the academy. “Back then they built an outpost on a mountain. It relates directly to us building trenches in Slovenia for live-fire training. You can see how leadership continues to build from one generation to the next.”
As the 173rd Airborne Brigade remains forward deployed as the Army’s contingency response force in Europe, the squad leader academy plays a critical role in ensuring the formation stays ready, empowered and disciplined.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army’s Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward stationed in Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to enhance readiness and lethality.
About SETAF-AF
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) prepares Army forces, executes crisis response, enables strategic competition and strengthens partners to achieve U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Africa Command campaign objectives.
SEMBACH, Germany – The senior leaders of Medical Readiness Command, Europe and Defense Health Network Europe, U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Roger Giraud and Command Sgt. Maj. Kalani Kalili, hosted a townhall meeting at the Sembach Chapel Feb. 19 for members of both headquarters.
The town hall meeting was part of an ongoing communication effort by the senior leaders to keep the military and civilian staff of Medical Readiness Command, Europe and Defense Health Network Europe informed and to maintain transparency.
As part of the town hall meeting, awards were presented to several civilian staff members of Defense Health Network Europe in recognition of their commitment to excellence, dedication and achievements.
The awardees were as follows:
Adriane Carney, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 1st Quarter FY25
Elaine Martin, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 2nd Quarter FY25
Jamie Moore, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 3rd Quarter FY 25
Max Boulton, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 4th Quarter FY25 (Category 1)
Glenton Atwell, Defense Health Network Europe Employee of the Quarter – 4th Quarter FY 25 (Category 2)
Headquartered at Sembach, Germany, the Defense Health Network Europe (DHNE) proudly serves 220,000 beneficiaries across Europe. The Network delivers health care and supports medical readiness in 22 strategically located military hospitals and clinics in Bahrain, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
BETHEL, Alaska – An Alaska Army National Guard aircrew assigned to Bethel conducted a successful search-and-rescue mission to locate and extract an overdue snowmachiner during a mission coordinated through the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center.
The mission began Feb. 15 in response to a request for assistance from the Alaska State Troopers to search for an overdue snowmachiner who had been riding north of Pilot Station. The Alaska Army National Guard accepted the mission through the AKRCC and launched a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter from Bethel to search the area.
The aircrew searched for approximately three and a half hours, covering more than 100 square miles of terrain before locating the individual about 110 miles north of Bethel, roughly 30 miles east of his last known location.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nick Lime, one of the aircrew members involved in the mission, said the team first located the individual on the evening of Feb. 15 but was unable to immediately extract him because of challenging terrain and fuel limitations.
“We located him that night, and another crew member and I snowshoed about half a mile trying to link up with him,” Lime said. “But with fuel running low and the deep snow conditions, we couldn’t make it all the way in, so we dropped a survival radio and some water to make sure he could stay in contact and had what he needed overnight.”
On the morning of Feb. 16, with a storm approaching, the Army Guard aircrew returned to the area to deliver additional supplies.
“There was a storm coming in, so we flew up to drop supplies,” Lime said. “We were concerned about him being able to hold out in those conditions.”
Using the previously dropped radio, the aircrew reestablished communications with the stranded snowmachiner. He had managed to free his snowmachine but reported that his feet were hurting and freezing.
“We got him to ride it about 100 to 150 yards closer to the trail we had made the night before,” Lime said.
The crew then dropped a set of snowshoes to help him continue moving. When the snowmachine became stuck again, members of the aircrew transitioned to movement on foot.
“Once on the ground, I snowshoed another quarter mile to him,” Lime said. “I was able to link up with him and walk him back to the hawk.”
As Lime made his way toward the stranded snowmachiner, the Black Hawk pilots remained in radio communication with the individual, encouraging him to keep moving and work his way closer to the aircraft.
After reaching the aircraft, the crew brought the individual aboard and transported him to a medical facility in Bethel for evaluation.
The mission highlights the close coordination between the Alaska State Troopers, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and the Alaska Army National Guard, as well as the aircrew’s ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions in remote winter terrain.
VICENZA, Italy – Five soldiers, who are more accustomed to military exercises, are now displaying their artistic abilities in a new exhibit at the Java Café and 5:01 Bistro on Caserma Ederle. The event marks the return of the “Artist of the Month” program, and it is the first time the work of Soldiers from the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program is being showcased in such a public venue.
“Typically, this event would be to highlight one artist,” said Michelle Sterkowicz, U.S. Army Garrison Italy Program Manager for Morale, Welfare and Recreation Ederle Art Center.
According to her, this time, though, the event was special, “because it is coming back after a pause and the location is the biggest difference, as previous ‘Artist of the Month; exhibits were within the Art Center.”
Sterkowicz envisions that from now on there will be space for a variety of mediums and will give the Java Café and 5:01 Bistro an opportunity to host local artists and have rotating displays.
“Just like you see in bars and cafes in Centro, [downtown Vicenza] we too will have local artists on display within USAG Italy,” she continued.
VICENZA, Italy – A member of the Vicenza Military Community attends the opening night Feb. 4, 2026, of the “Artist of the Month” at the Java Café and 5:01 Bistro on Caserma Ederle. Five Soldiers from the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program have the opportunity to display their artistic abilities in a new exhibit that marks the return of the “Artist of the Month” program, The event is part of collaboration between the BOSS program and the Ederle Art Center. (Photo Credit: Laura Kreider)VIEW ORIGINAL
The collaboration between the BOSS program and the Ederle Art Center created a supportive outlet for Soldiers and the VMC to display their art to the local community, explained Cathy Towers, USAG Italy MWR Special Events & BOSS advisor.
“This initiative provides a non-verbal medium for self-expression and encourages the development of new skills and personal interests,” she said. Towers also highlighted that the Soldier community on post is incredibly talented. “We encourage all Soldiers to display their artwork and connect with the community.”
VICENZA, Italy – The collaboration between the U.S. Army Garrison Italy Morale, Welfare and Recreation Art Center on Caserma Ederle and the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) brought back the “Artist of the Month” program at a new location Feb. 4, 2026. In the upcoming months, there will be space to host local artists and have rotating displays at the Java Café and 5:01 Bistro on Caserma Ederle. (Photo Credit: Laura Kreider)VIEW ORIGINAL
Participants in this first event included: Spc. Harry J. Burgos Santiago, 3rd Platoon, 108th Military Police Company; Spc. Alex Smith and Spc. Jacob Commodari, MOD, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade; Pfc. Josue Martinez, C Company MOD, 173rd Abn. Bde.; and Maj. Jon Vandeveer, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa.
All of them share an interest in photography, while exploring local areas, such as the Dolomites, Lake Garda or Vicenza.
“I got into photography as a way to slow time down, capturing details, emotions and stories that might otherwise be overlooked,” said Martinez, one of the participants. “What started as curiosity became a way of seeing the world more clearly and intentionally through my lens.”
While explaining his image “Sforza Castle” to attendants at the Feb. 4 opening night, Vandeveer, another participant, said that he has pursued photography for many years as a creative outlet, focusing on nature and architecture. His image was taken in Milan, during an Outdoor Recreation trip.
“I am drawn to capturing unique perspectives that encourage others to see familiar places in new ways,” said Vandeveer.
“Living in Vicenza has strongly influenced my work, particularly the city’s historic architecture and the moments discovered while exploring on foot.”
For those interested in participating in the upcoming “Artist of the Month” events, reach out to the Art Center at EderleArtCenter@gmail.com
The next “Artist of the Month”:
*March will be focusing on “National Crafting Month,” so anyone who has a craft to share is welcome to participate (as space allows).
*April will be focusing on “Month of the Military Child” with a youth and teen exhibit. (instead of the first Wednesday, the meet & greet for April will be on the second Wednesday due to spring break)
*June will be dedicated to the annual “Gallery at the Garrison.”