Every year we strive to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served in the Armed Forces for the United States in our Memorial Day window display. This year was particularly special for us because we took the opportunity to custom frame military decorations from our own family members as well as showcase several of our featured artists and benefit the Warbirds of Glory Museum.
The largest shadowbox contains my grandfather, Gail Wohletz's WWII bomber jacket, pins, ribbons and dog tags. Right before my grandfather went off to war he married my grandma, Mary "Lucky" Wohletz. They are featured together, with my grandfather in this exact jacket, on the lower right. Next to them on the bottom left is a bracelet that he wore overseas reading "Gail Wohletz" on one side and "I love you - Lucky" on the reverse. We believe the small pink mark on his lapel is some of her lucky lipstick to keep him alive and well.
Take a look at some of how this shadowbox was put together:
Also included in the window are shadowboxes of my great-grandfather, George "Gish" Remezo's American flag, and Sue's husband, David's, military decorations. A photograph of Gish and my great-grandmother, Fran, accompanies the flag and details their names and marriage in script on the mat.
If you have a vet that you'd like to honor, please consult with us to design a custom frame featuring their photos, medals and memorabilia.
This window was also a great opportunity to highlight some work that our artist, Leah Kucharek, is doing in the community. Leah is passionate about war history and shared with us some of her paintings of warhorses and WWII submarines in addition to pieces of a B-25 plane to feature in the window. Leah volunteers as a Museum Trustee at the Warbirds of Glory Museum in New Hudson, Mich. The nonprofit's goal is to create a memoir of our country’s past to inform and inspire future generations.
For each piece sold from these displays in May and June, Main Street Art will make a donation to the Warbirds of Glory Museum in New Hudson, Mich., to rebuild a piece of history (B-25 airplane) and to educate youth on airplane mechanics.
The displays also feature a birch tree oil painting by Barb Weisenburg; a pen and ink of a tree by Sue Gilbert; block prints of Milford and the Mackinac Bridge by Natalia Wohletz, ceramic "paper" airplanes by Frank Fisher; decorative tiles by Motawi and a glass swan by Epiphany Glass.
Inside the gallery you'll find more art, plus jewelry by Mend on the Move and candles by June Apothecary.
Thank you to all our brave soldiers and military heroes for your service. Happy Memorial Day weekend!
Click here to shop the window collection.
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