Dare County Arts Council Veterans Exhibit Receives Surprise Addition
The Friends of the Outer Banks History Center received a welcome surprise addition to the Family Traditions of Service exhibit that is currently on display upstairs in the Dare County Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Street, Manteo, NC. Joan Collins, daughter of Herbert M. Collins, has offered to allow the Friends OBHC to hang a treasured portrait of her father during the Family Traditions reception and program on Thursday, November 12th,
The oil painting by artist John de la Vega was completed in December 2010. It is based on a photograph taken of Herbert Collins in his early years in the USCG, sometime in the late 1940’s. After her father died, Joan wanted something special to remember him by and decided on this portrait because it had always been a dream of her father, even as a kid, to join the USCG and wear a USCG uniform.
Lt. Herbert M. Collins, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1939 to 1973, began his early career at the Pea Island station. He served at Pea Island for the duration of World War II and was the last surfman left to remain at the station before it was decommissioned after the war ended.
Artist John de la Vega was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a family of educators and diplomats. He came to the US in 1961 to attend college at the University of Miami. Since then he has had a distinguished career as a portrait painter and instructor, extending to this day.
He has painted many famous people, including President Ronald Reagan for the White House. A long-time resident of the Outer Banks, the artist is returning to live here before the end of the year after a period of work in Northern Virginia.
The Friends of the Outer Banks History Center welcome the public to view this beautiful portrait of Herbert M. Collins, one man from the Outer Banks who stood as a true example of the dedication and commitment of so many men and women from this area. The Thursday reception and event at the Dare County Arts Council is an historical tribute to veterans and is free and open to the public.
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