Paintings by Langley students are headed for the Canadian War Museum.

By Heather Colpitts, Langley Advance June 13, 2011

Some of Canada’s Afghanistan war dead aren’t much older than the students at Langley Fine Arts School who drew their portraits.

Students drew 36 portraits of deceased Canadian soldiers between November 2008 and November 2009. Those works will now part of the permanent collection of the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
Teacher Peter Sarganis has proposed the project to commemorate the soldiers after seeing their photos online.

“It caught my imagination because here are fallen soldiers these students can relate to. Many of them aren’t much older than they are. They’ve shared the same world,” he said.

Students didn’t just do the pictures. They researched their soldiers and in some cases were in contact with the families, giving the students a deeper understanding of the works and the war.
The works were exhibited in late 2009 and garnered national attention.

When Langley’s Garrett Chidley died in December 2009, Sarganis stayed up until 5 a.m. to finish a special portrait of Chidley in his combat gear so it would be ready for his funeral.

While the portraits are being packed and readied for shipment to their new home in Ottawa, the students who painted them will be completing final exams and preparing to head out into the world.

“This is terrific timing,” said principal Jon Bonnar. “For these students to know that their works, and the subjects of their works, will be permanently honoured in the Canadian War Museum is great
news.”

A representative from the war museum will join Langley MP Mark Warawa for a ceremony this Friday.

“Kept together, these portraits remind us of the unity of these soldiers in their patriotism and their professionalism, even unto death,” Warawa said.

© Copyright (c) Langley Advance