Portrait Painting of Officer Starback

Officer Starback: oil on panel

I was commissioned (and screwed over) by the State of Michigan DNR to create portraits of their fallen officers. This portrait is of officer Starback and I'll post his story below. I created this using a reference image of Starback from a black and white, grainy 1950's newspaper clipping.

The woman who I was working with on this project had me complete the portrait as requested and done in oils. Once the portrait was completed I gave her the painting and never heard anything back! After some time I contacted her and she replied, "we decided to have pencil drawings done instead." I was so frustrated with them because they were just going to ignore me after all my hours and costs spent working on the project. Long story short, I never got payed and I had to demand to get my painting back. It never ceases to amaze me how many people take art for granted and don't value it. The MI DNR overstepped their boundaries with what they wanted done and never held up to their end of the bargain. That's why you always get things in writing folks!

So I have this painting now that has no home. Maybe someone from the Starback family would appreciate it. If so it's free for the taking Starbacks! Here is the story of officer Starback:

[In 1957, Starback was en route by private airplane to Beaver Island from Boyne City to pick up a Department of Conservation patrol boat he’d left there a few days earlier due to bad weather. About 20 minutes after take-off, another pilot reported the plane had spiraled into Lake Michigan and sunk immediately.

Also killed in the accident was the pilot, Don Watkins, 63, of Boyne City and Starback’s two adult sons – Air Force pilot Maj. Richard Starback, 35, and Carlton Starback, 28. Carlton Starback was an air traffic controller at Willow Run Airport. Officer Starback was laid to rest in Breedsville.

“Officer Edward Starback weighed the danger of the waters of Lake Michigan and decided to fly off the island,” said DNR Law Enforcement Division Chief Gary Hagler. “But this decision could not overcome what fate had in store. Officers using their best decisions and judgment are not always shielded from the dangers of the profession. We will always remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.”]