Others Just May Not Understand

by ANN Correspondent Pete Tobin

Virginia Bader sells the type of limited-edition aviation art that pilots didn't know that they couldn't live without... until they saw it hanging on her walls.

Granted, married male pilots may find that their wives don't understand their sudden zest to be an art connoisseur, or agree with said pilot's taste. From this writer's perspective, though, the dramatic limited-edition pieces Virginia acquires are absolutely worth the effort of moving a home office to the basement... just to collect and proudly display any of Virginia's pieces.

Virginia's story begins 29 years ago, when she crossed over the pond from England with just 66 paintings, a six-week visa, very little money and only one picture of an aircraft.

While having lunch at the Mayflower hotel in Washington D.C., she happened to bump several members of a national aviation group. On a whim, she asked them if they would like to see an aviation themed art show. That encounter led to a life-long friendship with the late aviation writer Jeff Ethell, and several more shows.

Throughout the mid 70's Virginia traveled across America from air show to air show, selling her pieces from the back her beloved Ford Pinto. She says she had found a niche in the art world that no one else was focused on -- aviation art.

Virginia filled that niche very well... and now owns a 1,200 square foot gallery located on the grounds of John Wayne Orange County airport and a United States passport.

It is possible to say that Virginia came by her love of aviation art genetically. She is the cousin of famed World War II fighter pilot Sir Douglas Bader, who served in the Royal Air Force... despite having lost both his legs in 1938.

Virginia's personal cockpit experiences boils down to 10 minutes of stick time in a B-24 over the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California and a single ride in an A7 Corsair.

Bader goes to great lengths to see that her publisher authenticate every signature on any of her multiple signature pieces.

"If a person buys a piece of history from me, I see to it that they are actually buying historic signature prints which will appreciate in value because of the significance of the pilots depicted in the limited edition." she says. "I am proud to say that my customers put a great deal of faith in me."

FMI: www.viginiabader.com, EAA Booth 1030/31 in Hangar A