FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Art This Way, a program of Downtown Fort Wayne, has announced a partnership with Warrior Breed Motorcycle Club (MC) on a mural project highlighting Warrior Breed’s contributions to the community and celebrating the proud history of Fort Wayne’s 122nd Fighter Wing.
Art This Way and the Downtown Improvement District released the following:
The mural will be located at 135 West Main Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802. The 2,000-square-foot mural, designed by local artist Mitchell Egly, will be installed to commemorate Fort Wayne’s 122nd Fighter Wing and the memorialized aircraft at Heritage Park.
Heritage Park is located near Baer Field, and it showcases all the aircraft flown by the Indiana Air National Guard since 1947. In 2019, Warrior Breed MC raised funds to restore the planes at the park.
Warrior Breed MC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, veteran-based, traditional motorcycle club focusing on veteran issues, including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Veteran Suicide Prevention. Warrior Breed MC’s mission is to take care of those that sacrificed for our freedom.
“The Warrior Breed MC is proud to partner with Art This Way and Downtown Fort Wayne in this significant mission, honoring our military and veterans through art,” stated Founder of Warrior Breed MC Gary Perkey.
Egly participated in this military-themed project because his sister is on active duty in the US NAVY. Additionally, Egly’s best friend in high school did a tour in Iraq as a combat medic in the US ARMY, and his great grandfather was with Patton’s Third Army.
In 2021, Egly completed a Faces of the Fort mural at 1818 Bluffton Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46809.
“Public art is a wonderful mechanism for storytelling and capturing our history,” said Art This Way Manager Alex Hall. “Celebrating military history and heritage can play an important role in continuing traditions and remembering legacies. We are excited to see a mural project that highlights the 122nd included in our collection of murals in Downtown Fort Wayne.”
A free-to-the-public mural dedication event is planned for July 1, 2022, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the mural site. More details about the event will be released soon.
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