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DEL.ICIO.US“A Salute in Wood”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
First, let’s deal with his name.
It’s Reginald B. Highsmith. In promos for the Badie Tour, I’ve called the Snellville woodworker everything but. “Robert” in one. “Hightower” in another.
Highsmith, known as “Smitty,” never called to correct or upbraid me. He just chuckled about it yesterday when we finally met.
See, three weeks ago Wednesday we were scheduled to talk about his efforts to honor U.S. soldiers. He took ill, though, and wound up in the hospital for several days. He’s home now, spry enough on Wednesday to let me drop by the house he shares with Martha, his wife of nearly 40 years, for a chat.
Highsmith’s a scroller, a craftsman who uses a scroll saw to turn wood into most anything you can imagine: baskets, animals, flowers, landscapes, toys, games and gadgets. He’s part of a nationwide project that makes wooden portraits of U.S. soldiers who have died in the conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan.
In December 2005, he joined an online network of several hundred woodworkers and hobbyists who volunteer money, material, skills and time to create the portraits. It’s called the Scroll Saw Portraits Group, and the project is called the Portrait Freedom Project. The portraits are free, available only to direct family members of fallen soldiers.
Relatives must make a request for the portraits and provide a photo that’s in focus. Scroll Saw volunteers design patterns that are passed on electronically to cutters like Highsmith. The artisans download the patterns, reproduce them to wood and ship the finished images - one framed and one unframed - to the relative of the soldier.
Highsmith says he has cut 58 portraits for family and individuals who hail from 32 states and Italy. So far, he has only done one portrait for a Georgia soldier. The sister of an Army soldier requested one for their mother. It’s the only time Highsmith, 70, was able to make a presentation in person.
“I met the mother,” said Highsmith, who uses Baltic birch and, depending on the patterns, spends one to three hours on each portrait. “She looked at it and said, ‘That’s my (son).’ “
According to the project Web site, more than 700 portraits have been completed. If the cutters charged, Highsmith said they might fetch $50 to $75 per portrait. This is not about money, though. It’s about honor. A salute in wood.
Highsmith, a former Marine, includes handwritten notes with his 8-by-10s that thank relatives for the opportunity. Sometimes he receives notes of gratitude. Barbara and Larry Saba of New Jersey sent this one:
“Dear Mr. Highsmith: We would like to thank you very much for the two portraits you did of our son, Cpl. Thomas E. Saba,” they wrote. “You really captured his eyes and his smile.”
Not every family sends a thank-you note. Highsmith, who does non-military portraits as well, doesn’t mind.
“But when I do get one, it brings tears to my eyes.”
For more information about the Portrait Freedom project or to view existing portraits of honored service members, visit http://groups.msn.com/SSPSoldierPortraits/homepage. Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
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By charlie jenkins
August 31, 2007 8:16 PM | Link to this
Mr. Badie, you did a wonderful job with the article on my personal friend “Smitty”. They (He and Martha) deserve a lot of credit for their project. I have known Martha since the ‘40’s and they’re very good people, they are!! Charlie, p.s. Congrats, Smitty! Great work.