VINTON – Dysart-based writer, designer, and artist Roy R. Behrens will present a fast-paced, richly illustrated slide talk exploring the life and work of American artist Everett Longley Warner at the Benton County Historical Society in Vinton on Monday, June 29, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Born in Vinton, Iowa, Warner (1877-1963) was an American Impressionist painter who also headed a unit of artists responsible for designing camouflage for American ships during both World Wars. The presentation will highlight Warner’s Iowa roots, his career as an artist, and his service as a camouflage expert, featuring rare government photographs from both world wars.

Warner’s father was a Vinton attorney, clerk of court, and real estate agent. His mother’s family consisted of prominent missionaries who lived among the Lakota Sioux in Minnesota and the Dakotas for more than 30 years. While residing in Vinton, the Warner family owned the land overlooking the Cedar River at what is now Riverside Park.

At age 11, Warner moved with his family to Washington, D.C., where he studied drawing, painting, and printmaking. He later pursued art studies in New York and Paris before traveling extensively throughout Europe.

After the United States entered World War I in 1917, Warner became an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and was placed in charge of the Design Subsection of the Navy’s experimental Camouflage Section in Washington, D.C. For the remainder of the war, he and a team of artists created colorful “dazzle” camouflage schemes for 1,256 American ships. Because no two sides of a ship were camouflaged identically, two designs were created for each vessel. Each design was first applied to a scale model, tested for effectiveness, and then, if approved, painted onto the full-size ship. During World War II, Warner again served in the same capacity.

Behrens’ presentation will take place at the Vinton Depot located at 612 Second Avenue in Vinton. The event is free and open to the public.

About Roy R. Behrens

The speaker is author and graphic designer Roy R. Behrens, a University of Northern Iowa emeritus professor and distinguished scholar who also teaches for Drake University and the College of William & Mary. He has published 10 books, including four on camouflage, and has presented on the topic in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and throughout the United States.

In addition, Behrens has published numerous essays in books, magazines, and encyclopedias. His work has been featured in documentary films, including NOVA, as well as in numerous exhibitions. Most recently, he was invited to write the catalog introduction for a major camouflage exhibition at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., where the exhibit will remain on display for three years.