San Diego artist unveils MMA 50th Anniversary painting

HARLINGEN, Texas - April 27, 2015 - PRLog -- Artist Todd Krasovetz of San Diego unveiled his “March Through Time: Marine Military Academy 50 Years of Excellence” painting at the MMA alumni reunion dinner April 18 at South Padre Island, Texas.

The 4-by-3-foot work of art captures cadet life from the mid-1960s to the present day, and it includes MMA’s late founding father Capt. William “Bill” Gary. At the center of the piece is the Iwo Jima Monument, which is located on the MMA campus.

According to MMA Superintendent Col. R. Glenn Hill, the painting will be prominently displayed in an MMA building beginning August 2015, when the school begins celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

“It will reside in a place of honor at the academy for cadets and visitors to enjoy,” he said.

Krasovetz, who specializes in military artwork, was tapped by MMA alumnus Jorge Ramirez Tubilla, Class of 1995, for the project. Because a graduate gifted the work of art to MMA, Hill believed it was only appropriate to debut the piece at the annual alumni reunion dinner.

At the invitation of MMA, Krasovetz and his parents journeyed to South Texas for the alumni reunion. The artist visited the Iwo Jima Monument in Harlingen, Texas, while he was on the MMA campus April 17. The following day he hit the sands of nearby South Padre Island, Texas, before attending the alumni reunion dinner.

“My trip and visit to the Marine Military Academy was awe-inspiring,” Krasovetz said. “I just could not get over how amazing the statue of Iwo Jima was as well as how amazing the academy looked.”

MMA, a college-preparatory boarding school for young men in grades 8-12, opened its doors in Harlingen, Texas, in September 1965. To this day, it remains the only private school in the world based on the traditions and values of the U.S. Marine Corps. MMA has also been home to the historic Iwo Jima Monument since April 1982.