Cadets unveil Class of 2024 official painting

The U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2024 official painting was unveiled during the 100s Night Dining-in Feb. 15, 2024 at Mitchell Hall. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco)

By Randy Roughton
U.S. Air Force Academy Strategic Communications

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Class of 2024 official painting depicts five elements representing the cadets’ four-year experience at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Among the painting’s features is a trio of F-22 Raptors in flight over the Terrazzo at sunset.

The class unveiled their painting by artist Justin Hayward’s during a ceremony on 100s Night in Mitchell Hall Feb. 15.

An artist’s realist touch

Hayward is a realist artist and a drawing and painting instructor at Casper College in Wyoming. He exhibits in galleries, juried shows, and creates paintings and drawings on commission. This was his first time working on an official class painting.

“It was difficult because there were so many things that needed to be included in the painting,” Hayward said. “I like how everything came together. I did not always know how I was going to be able to get all the symbolism in the painting, but it turned out exceptionally good. It is special for the class to remember their time at the Academy this way. I was just an outsider having fun watching the full process.”

Pictured is artist Justin Hayward’s U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2024 official painting that was unveiled during the 100s Night Dining-in Feb. 15, 2024. (Scanned image provided by Cadet 1st Class Sara Scrapchansky)

Five essential elements incorporated into the class painting

The sun-drenched sky is one of five themes displayed in Hayward’s painting.

“The sunsets were one of our most beautiful moments at the Academy,” said Cadet 1st Class Sara Scrapchansky, Class of 2024 painting project cadet in charge. “A lot of us remember our cadre pulled us aside during Basic Cadet Training to look at the city and told us, ‘These are the people you’re protecting.’ We looked around at the mountains and this amazing world we were in. The mountains at sunset is when the Academy is its prettiest.”

The committee deliberately chose three F-22s because the Class of 2024 will be the 66th class to graduate, Scrapchansky said.

Another eye-catching feature of the painting is the Cadet Chapel. Hayward painted a partially visible chapel. He captured the construction of the protective white box since the chapel renovation began a month after Class of 2024 cadets began their freshman year in 2020.

“We never got to see the full chapel in its glory,” Scrapchansky said. “We wanted to include the chapel, but the box was our reality. The painting symbolizes what it looked like when we entered the Academy.”

The painting also depicts the fully renovated Air Garden. During the class’s freshman year, the Air Garden’s $7 million restoration project began. It was dedicated in the fall of their sophomore year in 2021. It now features restored reflective pools and sunken planters and two granite-seating outdoor classrooms.

While the COVID-19 pandemic dominated their freshman year in 2020, it did not define their time at the Academy. The planning committee wanted this experience represented in the Class of 2024 official painting. Therefore, Hayward’s work shows cadets marching in formation with 6-foot distance.

Finally, the stars in the sky symbolize the cadets like Scrapchansky who will be joining the U.S. Space Force after graduation.

Public call for artists

Class paintings have been an Academy tradition for the past 50 years. However, the Class of 2024 is only the second class that took an active role in selecting the artist for their painting. Like the Class of 2023 before them, this year’s graduating class had the help of Bemis School of Art at Colorado College director Tara Thomas in facilitating the public call for area artists.

The search began in June 2023 and ended in August with about 25 applicants. Once they settled on Hayward, the committee began communicating what they wanted with the artist.

“It was difficult because how do you summarize four years, or five for some of our cadets who began at the Prep School,” Scrapchansky said. “How do you summarize that in one painting? Mr. Hayward was a big help because he was able to take our ideas and transform them into a beautiful work of art that fully represents our class experience.”

Learn more about 100s Night and see more photos on Flickr.