KETCHIKAN -- The Joseph T. Craig American Legion Post 3 on Park Avenue has a new look on one of its exterior walls that could attract some attention, thanks to a New York-based artist.
Scott LoBaido, 50, over about six hours on Monday and Tuesday, painted an approximately 20 feet by 15 feet American flag on the front side of the post as part of his "Painting Flags Across America" tour. LoBaido is on a mission to paint an American flag on either an American Legion or Veterans of Foreign Wars post in every state in the country by Sept. 1.
"I've always had a soft spot for the veterans and military," LoBaido said Tuesday afternoon. " ... I realized that I get to (paint), and it's not because (being a U.S. citizen) was on my birth certificate, it's because of the men and women in buildings like this that sacrificed so I can express myself. This is my way of saying thanks personally, and bringing more attention to these buildings, because a lot of people just drive by them."
"What is a great work of art supposed to do?" he said. "It's supposed to provoke emotion, it's supposed to bring emotion out, and one thing that does, more than any other work of art, is the American flag. I just think it's beautiful."
This was LoBaido's second flag-related visit to Ketchikan. He painted the American flag on the roof of the Tongass Trading Co.'s dock store in June 2006 as part of his "Flags Across America" tour, during which he painted a flag on one rooftop in every state.
His previous experience in Ketchikan taught LoBaido a lesson about painting outside in Southeast Alaska, he said.
"(The American Legion flag) is one of the smaller ones, because I know Ketchikan likes rain," LoBaido said. "I learned my lesson doing the rooftop over there, so I'm like 'weather and time' (are factors) because I have to catch my boat tomorrow to get back to the mainland. I've got 35 more states to go."
LoBaido chose Ketchikan for his two Alaska tour stops because of its accessibility and weather, since he can't paint when the temperature is below 40 degrees.
The biggest challenge Ketchikan poses for LoBaido is rain, he said.
"No wild animals attack me, (but) this guy over here with the beard (Hunter Davis) has been bothering me the whole time while I've been trying to get my work done," LoBaido joked.
Post Commander James Boyd, Tuesday afternoon, said he thinks the flag looks great.
"We feel very pleased and honored by having him select our post, from the whole department of Alaska, to have the flag painted on our building," Boyd said. "It's a great job, what he's doing. ... (We) feel very appreciated and honored by what he's doing."
LoBaido's next stop is Oak Harbor, Washington. Additional information on LoBaido's tour is available online at: www.scottlobaido.com.