Irwin artist inspired to draw '13 Fallen Heroes,' portraits of those killed by Kabul bomber

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Irwin artist Kristy Dubinsky planned to exhibit some of her paintings in mid-September at a juried art festival in Grand Rapids, Mich., when she awoke in early September to a voice in her head telling her to paint the 13 military members who had just been killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan.

“I kept hearing that voice. I knew that is what I wanted to do. I wanted to honor them,” said Dubinsky, 42, who proceeded to research the 13 Americans killed in the Aug. 26 attack at the Kabul airport as the United States was withdrawing its last forces and evacuating thousands of Afghans who aided the United States during the 20-year-long conflict.

She gathered photographs of the deceased military members — 11 Marines, a Navy Corpsman and a member of the Army’s Psychological Operations Group — and began painting them in 13 days, for the exhibit, “13 Fallen Heroes.”

Against the background of a tattered American flag, she painted the portraits of the uniformed military members. She painted them in black and white, in their dress uniforms. The exception was Sgt. Nicole Gee of Roseville, Calif., who was famously photographed holding a baby while wearing her body armor. Dubinsky painted her holding the baby.

On the top of each frame, she engraved the name of the person portrayed in the painting.

“They looked like they could be anybody, from any time period,” Dubinsky said.

Her portrait of Navy Corpsman Max Soviak from Northeast Ohio was displayed at his funeral in September, Dubinsky said. Through social media, the family learned of her project and Dubinsky let them use it for the funeral.

An art teacher for 17 years at Elizabeth Forward High School in Allegheny County, Dubinsky said she has been inspired to paint service members because of her grandfather, Edward Huszar, who was a sergeant in the Army Air Corps in the Pacific during World War II.

She intends to keep the original portraits as a “collective,” but Dubinsky said she plans to present each family with a limited edition print.

Passion for art

For as long as she can remember, Dubinsky said she has enjoyed art, even as a child.

She grew up in Sutersville and went to Yough High School, where she took art classes taught by Bob Weaver, an accomplished artist who has since retired from teaching.

“(Weaver) would more or less let me explore. He encouraged me to do this (art),” Dubinsky said. “His praise over my work kept me going.”

She also took lessons with the Norwin Art League. She attended Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and later earned a teaching degree so she could teach what she loves to do.

“I’ve always been artistic,” Dubinsky said.