SCAD alumnus Mitchel Coffman (B.F.A., painting, 2006; M.F.A., painting, 2009) is using his extraordinary talent to pay tribute to local military members, stationed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, who were killed in action. 

Coffman painted portraits of 25 men.  He used photographs and met with many of the family members and friends of the fallen heroes to make sure he captured the personalities of each soldier in the paintings.  Coffman knew one of the men personally, he became friends with him while Coffman was a graduate student and assistant strength and conditioning coach at SCAD. He painted a portrait of his friend, and the project grew from there. 

Each oil on canvas painting took several days to sketch and paint. Now they are all part of a permanent art installation hanging on post at Hunter Army Airfield.  The portraits were unveiled to the families of the fallen in a Memorial Day ceremony on May 26.