PONTIAC - Shirley Dunning was admiring a traveling art display Tuesday at a Pontiac museum, but she was sad to see there were new additions since she last saw it two years ago in Springfield.

"Portrait of a Soldier" is a traveling exhibit that displays hand-drawn images of military men and women who have died since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It has grown to nearly 200 pictures.

"I just think about their families," Dunning, of Pontiac, said. "I just can't imagine what the family must go through."

The exhibit opened Tuesday and will remain on display through Monday at the building housing the Livingston War Museum and the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, 110 W. Howard St.

The exhibit will be one of the featured elements of tonight's Pontiac First Night celebration of New Year's Eve.

"We are paying tribute to our fallen soldiers and at the same time, the beautiful artwork also replicates our First Night theme," said Lori Fairfield, executive director of Pontiac Redeveloping Our United Downtown. "We hope that everyone comes out and takes a look at the camaraderie that you see when you look at these pictures."

Doug Swift, Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 76, brought some of the Scouts to the display Tuesday.

"In Scouting, we promote citizenship and patriotism … and I think a lot of Americans take their freedom for granted," he said.

Swift served in the Navy from 1969 to 1973. While he was in the western Pacific Ocean and Okinawa, he lost some friends in the Vietnam War, he said.

The pencil sketches are done by Cameron Schilling, 24, of Mattoon, who began the project in August 2004 while he was a full-time student at Eastern Illinois University. He did his first portrait of Army Spc. Charles Neeley of Mattoon, who was killed in Iraq, and presented it to Neeley's family.

A little more than a year later, Schilling decided to memorialize each fallen Illinois soldier, calling his endeavor "Portrait of a Soldier."

The exhibit was displayed in 2007 at Illinois State University in Normal. It then had about 150 portraits.

The originals are given to family members, and copies are on display.

Among the almost 200 portraits will be those of Army 1st Lt. Debra Banaszak of Bloomington, Marine Capt. Ryan Beaupre of Bloomington; Army Cpl. Daniel Castillo of Streator; Army Spc. Jessica Cawvey of Normal; Marine Lance Cpl. Raymond Holzhauer of Dwight; Army Pfc. Phillip Pannier of Washburn; Marine Cpl. Jonathan S. Beatty of Streator; Army Spc. Ronald W. Gebur, of Delavan; Army Staff Sgt. Daniel G. Gresham of Lincoln and Army Spc. Jeremy L. Ridlen of Maroa.

The unveiling featured the national anthem and representatives from local veterans groups.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who has often appeared with the exhibit, had to cancel his planned appearance Tuesday because of state business, Fairfield said.

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Art exhibit

What: "Portrait of a Soldier" exhibit

When: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. today; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday. It will be closed on New Year's Day.

Where: Livingston War Museum and Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, 110 W. Howard St., Pontiac.