War and Piece : Northridge artist Billy Baumann, whose work is at the Nixon Library, paints the colors of conflict.

Drama, by definition, grows out of conflict. And conflict is something in which painter Billy Baumann has more than a passing interest.

The 74-year-old retired aeronautical engineer, whose “Dramatic Moments in American History” is on display in Yorba Linda through Nov. 2, served in World War II as a pilot, then spent 40 years designing weapon systems for such companies as Rockwell. More recently, while earning college degrees at Cal State Northridge in humanities and art, he came to some pivotal realizations:

“I became fully aware of how much warfare has been a part of human existence ever since recorded history,” Baumann said by phone from his Northridge home. “There has never been a time that wars weren’t going on.

“Later, when I began wondering what to do with an art degree . . . the thought entered my mind that humanity has struggled since its beginnings to improve its condition, and that a lot of the improvement has come about due to the sacrifice of many people.”

Baumann cited the Revolutionary War, and the attendant awareness of the concept of freedom, as an example.

“A nation was formed based on human rights and equality and freedom,” he said, “a new idea, one that helped mankind considerably. But it came about as a result of warfare and the loss of many lives.

“The thought I’m trying to convey in all of my paintings is how much we owe to previous generations--that our gains were gained through the sacrifice, and often great suffering and pain, of those that have gone before us.”

Baumann completed his art degree in 1991 and considered dabbling in landscape painting as a hobby before experiencing his own dramatic moment during a vacation in 1992. He began his historical series, which can be seen at the Richard M. Nixon Library & Birthplace, in 1993.

“My wife and I visited New England to see the fall colors, and one of the stops we made was Concord, Mass., where the first shot was fired against British troops,” Baumann recalled. “I stood on the spot, and was very moved. . . . I decided to do a painting. Later, I realized there were many such dramatic moments in American history.”

It took Baumann three years to complete a dozen canvases.

*

They represent scenes as diverse as “By the Dawn’s Early Light,” based on events surrounding our national anthem’s lyrics; “The Golden Spike,” the ceremony marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad; “8:15 a.m., August 6, 1945,” the moment the Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb over Hiroshima, and “No--Rosa Parks,” whose utterance, “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” helped spark the civil rights movement.

One of his more novel ideas involves “By the Dawn’s Early Light,” in which he shows the flag magnified within a circular field.

“I went to Fort McHenry to gather data,” Baumann explained. “I had never really thought about where Francis Scott Key was when he saw that flag, and I wanted to catch the moment he actually got the inspiration. I found out that he was being held by the British on a ship four miles at sea during the bombardment. The only way he could have seen that flag was through a telescope.”

Baumann estimates that “The Golden Spike,” which includes more than 100 faces, took close to 300 hours to complete.

But then, he doesn’t worry about the time he spends on his artistic endeavors; he took up painting largely because it is so completely different from aviation.

“Painting was a fun thing to do, no pressure, no schedules or budgets,” he said. “At some point, I got to thinking I’d like to have these shown, sometime, someday, somewhere, just to see what the reaction would be. But the Nixon Library--to have the paintings lighted and so forth! I was extremely pleased.”

*

As it turned out, Nixon Library director John Taylor attends the Episcopal church in Placentia where David Baumann, Billy’s son, serves as rector. David mentioned his father’s paintings during lunch, Taylor expressed interest, and a portfolio was forwarded. Taylor called the elder Baumann a few days later, said he wanted to display the paintings and asked if he would do a painting of Nixon. Baumann’s most recent work commemorates the former president’s handshaking trip to China.

Baumann is glad now that he didn’t take his college art instructors’ opinions too seriously.

“There was a lot of abstract-type painting and modernism-type painting in the class,” Baumann recalled. “My paintings tended to be much more realistic. One of my teachers made the comment, ‘You’re never going to be a success; you’re just common--you’re not bizarre enough.’

“I thought about it and said, ‘You just defined my strength. That’s what I am, and that’s what I’m going to paint.’ ”

* “Dramatic Moments in American History,” paintings by Billy F. Baumann, are on display through Nov. 2 at the Nixon Library & Birthplace, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda. $2-$5.95. (714) 993-5075.