"The Last Patrol" James Dietz 4th Stryker Brigade Print

After graduation from Art Center College of Design in 1969, Jim began a successful career as a commercial illustrator in Los Angeles. The subject matter varied from automobiles to action scenes to romantic book covers. A steady flow of work from New York enabled the Dietz' to move to Seattle in 1978. It was at this time that he took his first concrete steps toward fulfilling his dream to specialize in aviation art, at that time an almost unheard of genre. Since then, aviation art has played an increasingly large part in his career. Jim Dietz's clients include Boeing, Bell Helicopter, Allison, and Flying Tigers, to name just a few.

Jim has also branched out into the fine arts field with his aviation art. A strong following has developed for his originals and a growing number of limited edition prints have introduced Jim's name to print collectors worldwide. Four of Jim's originals were put on display in the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Naval Aviation; one of the paintings was presented by the Navy League to then Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman. A regular contributor to the Air Force Art Program, Jim's work has been featured on the cover of AIR FORCE magazine.

Jim Dietz has been honored with several gold medals from the Los Angeles Society of Illustrators and has won Best in Show in three successive years in the EAA Aviation Art Show. In 1988, at the second American Society of Aviation Artists forum, Jim was awarded the "People's Choice Award" for his painting selected by forum attendees. Major showings of Dietz's originals have recently been held at the EAA Museum and the San Diego Air Museum. His work is found in a number of private and corporate collections.

James Dietz Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Print "The Last Patrol"

Alongside their Iraqi Security Forces partners, Soldiers from the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division "Raiders" conduct a dismounted patrol in the streets of Western Baghdad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2009-10. Spearheading operations in Western Baghdad – an area often considered Iraq's "Center of Gravity" during the final chapter of OIF, the brigade partnered with the 6th and 9th Iraqi Army Divisions, 6th Brigade, 24th Federal Police Division and local Iraqi Police and Sons of Iraq to secure the people of Iraq and ensure a safe and secure March 7 National Election. Following a series of spectacular attacks in Baghdad during the summer of 2009, the brigade set to work with its Iraqi partners to train and develop new methodologies to identify, track and eliminate the terrorist threat. The raiders established Joint Operations Centers – demonstrating to Iraqi commanders the importance of command and control and having a unified effort, created an Exploitation Task Force – which incorporated proper evidence gathering techniques following a terrorist attack, and introduced the routine usage of Explosive Detection Dogs to traffic control points – a major accomplishment in a culture that greatly dislikes dogs. These combined efforts crippled AQI's network and resulted in the arrest of killing of several key terrorist leaders. Following these tremendous successes, the brigade had the rare and historic opportunity to be the lst combat brigade to leave Iraq after seven and a half years of war. In what became known as "The Last Patrol" the Raiders completed their combat mission in Baghdad and embarked on a 360 mile tactical road march to the Kuwaiti border, driving through the night to close the final chapter of Operation Iraqi Freedom and begin Operation New Dawn. "To The Objective!"

This 25" by 14.50" image size print, limited to 250, is signed by the artist.

This print is also available as an Artist Proof (limited to 100) - $200

All Limited Edition prints are signed and numbered (S/N) by the artist. Limited Edition prints are restricted to a certain number. For example, if 400 prints are made from an original painting, once they’re gone, that’s it. There is no limit to the number of open edition prints of a particular painting. That’s why Limited Edition prints are more expensive — and more valuable to collectors — than "open" edition. Rare objects are more valuable.

An Artist’s Proof (AP), generally, is the first 5% - 10% of the Limited Edition prints that come off the press. This status is noted on the print. Collectors prefer APs because their value increases even more than a Limited Edition as time goes by.

All Limited Edition artwork is subject to availability at time of order. Although seller strives to remain currrent as to inventory, seller reserves the right to cancel a sale if item is no longer available at time of purchase.