Different shades of history

Gary Moskowitz

After he saw John Wayne in “The Alamo” when he was about 8, John

Pomeroy was hooked on war stories.

He constructed an entire scene of the Alamo out of clay as soon

as he got home, complete with the mission setting and handfuls of

soldiers.

“I really became fascinated right away with telling stories

through art forms,” said Pomeroy, a Toluca Lake resident. “That

interest has developed into a deep fascination for history for me.

“And over time, you come up with the kind of show that is over at

Forest Lawn now.”

Pomeroy’s fascination with history and art spawned a collection of

his own oil paintings of famous battle scenes, and an assortment of

rare artifacts. The “Windows of War: Historical Paintings by John

Pomeroy” exhibit opened Saturday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park &

Mortuary’s art museum. The exhibit will run through April 26.

Pomeroy is a supervising animator with Walt Disney Studios. He has

worked on such films as “Pocahontas,” “The Rescuers” and “An American

Tail.”

The exhibit features oil paintings that depict famous scenes like

“Alexander the Great at the Battle of Granicus,” “General Andrew

Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans,” “Pipe Master McKay at the

Battle of Waterloo” and the “Battle of the Pyramids.”

Pomeroy spends several months researching battles before putting

brush to canvas.

“It’s like being in a little time machine,” Pomeroy said. “I spend

months researching like a detective, and I almost become that subject

in the process. You paint from the point of view of authority.”

Asked about the large numbers of American troops that have been

activated for duty in recent months, Pomeroy was quick to say he

hopes his paintings are a reminder of people who fought for important

reasons.

“This exhibit is not designed to glorify war, but instead be a

reminder of those who fought for causes and helped changed a nation’s

culture,” he said.