Local World War II veteran looking for gallery to exhibit work

World War II veteran, Chuck Bahde, stands by his sculpture of a wave, made out of an old solar panel.

RANCHO SANTA FE Chuck Bahde was 17 when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1943. He was sent to gunnery school, got his wings and was the youngest member of the 7th Air Force fighter group, 78th fighter squadron.

He was set on making his mark as a fighter pilot. But instead was assigned to a special squad to join the Marines in taking over the airstrip at Iwo Jima.

The 88-year old veteran has his share of stories and medals from World War II, but hed rather talk about the art hes made over the last several decades.

One of the Dimensionals by Chuck Bahde

He has more than 100 pieces in his collection at his Rancho Santa Fe home that he made out of recycled material, mostly scraps of plastic sheet, broken tile, beads and old solar panels. No two are alike. He is looking for a gallery to exhibit his work.

Bahde has sold his work locally at the former Timmons Gallery in Rancho Santa Fe, and is working with local military artist Todd Krasovetz to find a gallery.

He recently donated one piece, called Ice Jam, to the Oceanside Museum of Art.

His work with plastic sheets represents an iconographic art form, said Daniel Foster, executive director at the Oceanside Museum of Art. His art style is defined by the way he crafts plastic into architectural and abstract shapes and forms.

Bahde generally doesnt deliberately incorporate his military experiences in his art, except one piece showing the raising of the flag at Mt. Suribachi on Iwo Jima, which he witnessed from the harbor.

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Local World War II veteran looking for gallery to exhibit work