Being the daughter of Elvin Krumsee, I grew up learning how important being a Marine was to my father. As a child, I learned the Marines' Hymn and would march around singing it. I learned how to make the perfect corner on a bed and strived to get a quarter to bounce on it. I learned how to spit shine shoes and even how to peel potatoes. All the Marine way.
I heard story after story of the guys dad served with and, when the reunions began, he was thrilled to be a part of his 423 family. Knowing all of this, I was pleased to have the opportunity to create the special plaques for the 2011 reunion. I wanted to give something to all the members and their families as a way to say "thank you" for being a part of my father's family.
The process of creating the plaques has a variety of stages to it. I start by editing the photographs I received, cleaning up any flaws, minimizing the graininess and cropping the picture to fit the size of the plaque. The second stage is to transfer the image to the plaque by making a decal that is fired onto the piece using a kiln. From there, I begin the process of china painting the image starting with the flesh color and slowly adding color to each area of the picture. The finishing touch is to add the 24k gold details.
To make each of the portraits authentic, I needed to research the colors of the uniforms and even the medals that some wore. It was during this process, I missed having my father around to help me get the colors just right.
There are 6-8 stages to this step where I paint and then fire the piece in the kiln. Each plaque has been fired at least 10 times. While these technical steps to the process are less than exciting to read about, I include them to help convey the time investment that turns it into a very personal project for me every time I do it.
The personal involvement begins with how I study each person's picture down to the tiniest detail. I catch a slight smile, a glint in the eye, the tilt of the head or a hat or a wedding band on the finger. I have my computer next to me while I paint so I can zoom in on any part of the picture I need to see more clearly. By spending at least 15 hours studying each picture, I begin to feel a connection with the person as though I am getting to know them and a bit of their personality. By the time the reunion came around I couldn't wait to meet "the guys" as I started to call them.
The reality is that although I made these special gifts for you, I received a gift in return. I was able to experience a little bit of what my father loved — being a Marine. My father would have been proud of me and my brothers, Tom and Art, for the contributions we made to the reunion but what I gained was the realization of just how proud I am to be the daughter of a Marine!
Story by Barbara Krumsee Wilczyski
Submitted by Miles Morgan
Editor, VMB-423 Newsletter