Remembering the past: 'Alan Charlee: Remembering Grandfather' brings battlefield experiences to life through ink

May 6—Alan Charlee's grandfather was a Marine during the Korean War.

Like many soldiers, he rarely spoke of his experiences on the battlefield. His grandson is bringing that experience to life through ink drawings of soldiers, nurses and farmers in the exhibition "Alan Charlee: Remembering Grandfather."

The show will hang through May 26 at Wild Hearts Gallery in Placitas.

Now living in Rio Rancho, Charlee created the series not only as a tribute to his grandfather Sammie Charlee, but to the memory of 800 Navajo soldiers who served in Korea and those who continue to serve.

Alan grew up in Crownpoint on the eastern edge of the Navajo Nation. As a child, he drew cartoons of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Later, he would obtain degrees in computer animation and fine arts at Central New Mexico Community College. He joined Wild Hearts Gallery in 2020. Versed in multiple media, Alan paints realistic oil paintings devoted to scenes defining the land and people who shaped his upbringing.

Alan was interested in the Korean War, but he knew almost nothing about it. He began researching books and YouTube documentaries.

"My father once told me the Korean children were afraid of the soldiers," he said.

But they accepted his grandfather because, being Native American, he partially resembled the Koreans, Charlee said.

Alan took home an old art history book that included Korean artwork, specifically ink drawings. An inspiration was born.

He wanted to depict a real-life MASH unit, so he went to Goodwill to find clothes. He bought a reproduction hat and helmet, some old pants and began dressing a mannequin. He did three studies in charcoal.

His drawing of three soldiers includes a MASH surgical doctor with a nurse and a second doctor.

"I took parts of the mannequin and dressed them up," he said. "That's what the Old Masters used to do."

A battle scene depicts the 1950 day when the north invaded the south, inspired by the old Korean ink drawings.

"North Korea was better equipped," he said. "The South Koreans only had these old bamboo spears."

The north "had a lot of Russian tanks," he added.

The two women in red and blue represent the Communist north and the democratic south.

"Both sides were trying to take control of the other."

Another drawing shows a farmer wearing a traditional hat talking to three soldiers.

"Some soldiers were doing a patrol and this North Korean farmer said there's thousands and thousands of Chinese soldiers in these mountains," Alan said. "The higher-ups didn't believe it and they got ambushed pretty bad."

He described his grandfather as a good man who cared about people.

"My grandfather was so excited when he first viewed one of my paintings," he said. "He kept saying, 'You did that, that's really good!' My grandfather used to paint in watercolor when he was young."

Wild Hearts Gallery is an artists' collective supported by 15 artists.