Air Force art at CMAFS

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The artist of nine paintings hanging in the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station technical support building’s lobby has been identified as Terrance Patterson, a life-long Colorado historian and artist. The nine paintings, which depict the evolution of air and space, will be adopted into the Air Force Art Program this year. However, the identity of the artist was a mystery as they were only signed, “T. Patterson” with no date. Readers of the “Space Observer” and Peterson website identified Mr. Patterson after an article appeared on the Air Force website. Mr. Patterson was a Department of Defense graphic artist who was asked to paint the series for the Chidlaw Building, which was the headquarters for the Aerospace Defense Command of the North American Air Defense Command. Mr. Patterson passed away in 1991; however, his family continues to run the Terrance Patterson Gallery, 1361 Pecan St., which sells replicas of his original military sculptures. Col. Russell Wilson, 721st Mission Support Group commander at CMAFS, has invited Mr. Patterson’s family to the mountain to view the art and expects to have a plaque made identifying the artist. (Photo courtesy of Terrance Patterson Gallery)