ERNIE BOYETTE
Ernie was born to poor parents on a sweet potato farm in Green Cove Springs, Florida. The family raised chickens, rabbits and agriculural foods. The last of seven children, his father died when he was two years old. Growing up, Ernie always helped his mother and encouraged her in her self-taught wildlife painting. When she passed away in 1985, she left him her art supplies and some blank canvasses.
Bored with a job he disliked, he decided to figure out how to paint one night in 1986. He pulled out his mom's "art stuff" and started. Never having an art lesson in life other than what he was taught in public school, Ernie did about ten paintings over the next several years. Trained in marketing, in June 1991, he decided to try art as a business. Convinced he had talent, he swore he would be making his living from his artwork, writing and photography.
Not knowing what he wanted to paint, he liked airplanes and military so he tried that. He started painting one airplane after another. In the spring of 1993, he received his first commission from an F-18 Squadron stationed at Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida. Commander John "Lites" Leenhouts employed him to do a black and white Limited Edition of their squadron aircraft.
In 1994 he started his series "Famous American Aviators". His first prints were his heroes, George Gay and Robert "Bob" Scott. Between January 1991 and December 2000 he painted no less than 150 paintings. From March 1993 to September 2000 he published 42 Limited Edition prints along with 36 poster prints. In the fall of 2002 he was commissioned by Cook Cleland's family to paint all three of the F2G Corsair racers that he flew in the late 1940's at the Ohio Air Races. Cook won the Thompson Trophy in 1947 and 1949. Ernie had worked with Cook in 1997 with a print of the SBD dive-bomber he flew in WWII.
In March of 2003 Ernie was officially knighted as a “Knight of Vision” for his efforts in telling the stories of Great britain's famous aviators. Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette now signs all his original paintings as Sir Hamilton.
His artwork is now marketed nationwide in aviation museum gift shops including the Smithsonian. In November of 2006 his artwork was selected by the new Pearl Harbor Museum, Hawaii, to be sold in their gift shop. Ernie's artwork has also appeared in the Aviation History magazine and his prints are marketed worldwide.
Ernie Boyette Print "B-25 Mitchell, Tokyo Raider, Ruptured Duck"
12" by 18" Print Signed by the Artist
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a terrific blow to our Navy and to the morale of the American people. The Japanese Empire was consuming the Pacific and Asia. The expansion of the Germans and Italians in Europe and Africa painted a bleak picture for the world's future.
President Roosevelt wanted to strike back at the Japanese. With the help from Naval planners they decided to plan an attack using medium bombers launched from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Army Air Corp Lt. Col. James Doolittle was asked to help in the plan and the training of the crews for this incredible mission. The new carrier USS Hornet was chosen as the launch platform and the new B-25 Mitchell was selected as their aircraft.
Doolittle realized that he not only wanted to train the crews but obtained permission to lead the attack on Japan. With the operation classified as "Top Secret", Doolittle and 79 volunteers trained daily until the B-25's were loaded onto the flight deck of the USS Hornet as the ship and its men set out to change the events of the war.
On April 18, 1942, only 4 months after the attack on our fleet at Pearl Harbor 80 brave Americans flew 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers off the deck of the USS Hornet. With the carrier pitching in heavy seas and stormy weather these aviators were truly the tip of the sword. This one event had more emotional impact than any other in raising the morale of the American people and shattering the morale of the Japanese.
All 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.
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