Feathers Artist Market features Vietnam veteran's work

Hempfield artist and Vietnam veteran Jack Otto will have his patriotic artwork featured at Feathers Artist Market in Irwin during the month of July.

Owner Tracy Alaia featured Otto in her art gallery/gift shop last July as well.

Otto’s pen-and-ink drawings bring to life units that served in the Vietnam War.

He has been putting pen to paper since his days as an “A” art student at Hempfield Area High School. He is a graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and served as a military policeman from 1967 through the 1968 Tet Offensive.

Otto, 75, says he does not sell his artwork but instead donates it to the men and women who served in those units.

“If they (veterans) see something that was their unit, I give it to them,” he says. “Friends of mine talk about (my work) and someone will mention, ‘I was in such and such,’ and I draw it for them.”

His drawings of C-130 warplanes, armored vehicles, tanks and other military vehicles show depth of detail.

He has more than 600 drawings, and does research to find specific details on platoons, brigades and battalions, he says. Otto says he can only show 90 drawings at a time for the exhibit, so he plans to rotate in new pieces of art each week throughout July.

An opening night reception will be held 6-9 p.m. July 3 at the shop at 102 4th St.

Details: 412-818-8008 or Feathers Artist Market on Facebook