AFMC Command News

Addition to Air Force Art Collection features Hanscom scenes

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Martha L. Petersante-Gioia
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  With golden eyes peering down an arched beak, the national symbol blanketed by the stars and stripes and surrounded by military heritage beckons viewers to look closer. And they did June 15 during the unveiling of the newest addition to the United States Air Force Art Collection.

The painting, titled “Spirit of Hanscom,” by artist Nilo Santiago, is an assortment of color and images representing Hanscom, its mission and the surrounding community.

“[Hanscom] is very proud of Mr. Santiago’s glorious piece that expertly captures Team Hanscom’s spirit and heraldry,” said Col. Brad Ashley, 66th Mission Support Group commander, who led the project to its completion.

Mr. Santiago, a native of the Philippines, immigrated to the United States in the 1960s where he attended graduate school at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and from there began his American artistic career.

But before making America his home, he discovered a family trait of working the fine arts.

“A few of my siblings were involved in some form of the arts,” he said. “Aside from my brother, who is a commercial artist, my oldest sister was a dressmaker.”

“In high school, I started designing dresses for my sister, who sewed for university students in Manila. I started sending my fashion designs to Manila newspapers and got paid for every design published; also, my biology teacher owned a dress shop and bought my designs by the dozens.”

Wanting to improve his abilities, Mr. Santiago enrolled in an undergraduate program in the Philippines.

“Our undergraduate studies were very rigid and we had a hectic studio schedule,” he said.

Fifty students entered the four-year program, but only 15 graduated, Mr. Santiago said.

In contrast to the strict and hectic pace of his undergraduate work, he found studying in America different; there he was left to study and create with little guidance from his instructors.

America offered an opportunity to create numerous products such as posters, record album logos and book illustrations. It was also in Washington, D.C., where Mr. Santiago was introduced to the Department of Defense and the Air Force.

Mr. Santiago began his 26-year federal service career with the U.S. Air Force Headquarters in the Pentagon. After three years serving as a mid-level illustrator, he broadened his wings and took a position in the U.S. Department of the Navy. However, the Air Force “lured” him back by “creating, a position as the official Air Force artist,” he said. “I was free to paint anything I wanted as long as it was Air Force mission related.”

His paintings, more than 200 in total at the time of his retirement in 2003, were accessed into the Air Force Art collection.

When creating the newest addition to this collection, the “Spirit of Hanscom,” Mr. Santiago drew from experiences he received on a visit to the base.

“When I visit an Air Force installation for a project I usually have no idea what to paint,” he said.

“My first idea for this project was mostly about the base but after my second talk with Colonel Ashley and going around taking pictures, I started to get a feel of what I wanted to put on canvas.

“Inspiration came to me afterward. I visit places and learn what is going on or what happened in the places in the past. Now I have a better understanding and appreciation of the history of the area, which I did not have before,” Mr. Santiago said.

Now retired, Mr. Santiago’s time and paintbrush is dedicated to creating personal works for his numerous collections.

He offers a small piece of advice for aspiring artists: Learn to draw.

“Once one can draw right, everything else will come easily. Also, practice, practice, practice and do not be discouraged. An artist should draw or paint for themselves.

“Do not think of being an artist to get rich because art is not for getting rich. It is about self expression and self satisfaction. Make yourself happy and everyone will be happy for you,” he said.