by Garth Meyer
The VFW painter of Redondo Beach is Ricardo “Ricky” Torres, an Army veteran from 2010-14. Originally from Van Nuys, he is now on the board of directors for Post 2828.
“The idea was floated for getting someone to paint a mural on the wall. Apparently they didn’t know I was an artist,” Torres said. “We were talking about hiring some guys to do it. I said, ‘why don’t I do it?”
The rest of the board then asked to see pictures of his work.
“I showed them, and they said, ‘You got full range to go ahead.’”
Torres started two years ago with a helicopter gunship on the Gertruda Street side of the building by the entrance. He is now working on a long wall bordering the parking lot. Rough drafts come first, using a stylus on an iPad.
Torres graduated from Van Nuys High School in 2007 and three years later joined the Army.
“My oldest brother was in the Army and I kind of wanted to be like him,” he said.
Overseas, Torres manned a gun turret on a type of humvee for 12 months in Iraq and 13 in Afghanistan. Afterwards, he went to Los Angeles Film School for three years for an associates degree in computer science/animation.
“It was a lot of stuff to remember. I didn’t use my degree, really,” he said.
Torres reports that he is being considered to next paint a South Seas image in the coming tiki bar on Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, at the former “Brews Hall.”
VFW Post 2828 in Redondo was formed in 1933, and has been at its current location since the mid-’80s.
“We’re open to the public; as long as you’re a good person,” Torres said.
He uses mostly spray paint and airbrush for the VFW walls.
“I’ve had hundreds of sketchbooks. I draw or paint about every day,” he said.
He also works as a handyman’s assistant in the South Bay. His artwork at the VFW is volunteer.
“We help him out with the cost of materials,” said Ted Van Huisen, Post 2828 commander. “He does it for the love of the Post. We keep trying to find space for (Torres) because we love his work so much.”
Van Huisen, the son of a late, longtime owner of Barnacles bar in Hermosa Beach, is part of a national chain of command in the VFW.
The first murals at the Redondo Beach building were painted by Wes Shade, a community member and Post regular (not a veteran); who depicted poppies and silhouettes of soldiers on the building’s westside, and the large “VFW POST 2028” lettering on the north.
Actual VFW members need to have served overseas. All others are allowed in as guests. They do not need to necessarily arrive with a member, said Van Huisen, they are just asked to sign in and pay $1.
“It’s designed for fraternity and brotherhood, as well as for invited community,” he said.
The cantine (bar) raises money which goes into the post or veterans’ groups at large. The bartenders are all volunteer.
“It’s a popular post, a large group of people is there daily,” said Van Huisen, who graduated from Mira Costa High School in 1990, later serving in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, then attending Cal-Berkely for a degree in political science.
He credits his time playing water polo at Mira Costa with later teaching water survival in the Marines.
As for Torres, once he finishes his current work in the east side of the parking lot, he will look to the rest of the wall, on which much space remains.
“It’s kind of like therapy. I just forget about the world and do this,” he said. “I couldn’t imagine not doing it.” ER
