As a veteran wife and military mom, I designed a responsive piece called Yellow Ribbon, in partnership with Kent County Veterans Services, to honor our veterans. But this year, my expanding ArtPrize role included coaching twenty-one veterans in creating their own ArtPrize entries at Veterans Memorial Park. Each of these ArtPrize entries tells the veteran’s story—dealing with homelessness, PTSD, military sexual trauma, and veteran suicide. With the oldest veteran of our group turning 90, our veterans from World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan represent diverse unity.
Although composed of separate ArtPrize entries, our collaborative venue offers freedom of creativity, despite the veterans’ injuries or lack of artistic training. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be introducing the healing art and artists from our new type of ArtPrize venue, where veterans come together to share the story of struggle—speaking hope into their darkest conflicts.
Yellow Ribbon
Families tie yellow ribbons around trees to represent support for military loved ones returning home; the yellow ribbon also symbolizes suicide prevention. Expanding these traditions, I designed a veteran collaboration, called Yellow Ribbon, in partnership with Kent County Veterans Services. The broken, abstract trees portray the veterans’ resilience despite the long-term effects of PTSD, military sexual trauma, and veteran suicide. Dozens of veterans and their families, ranging in age from 2 to 92, helped sponge-paint the background.
The work also features four 8 x 10 paintings created by veterans. Exhibit visitors are invited to write uplifting notes on yellow ribbons and tie them to the trees, to honor and thank the veterans for their sacrifice. Following the exhibition, the Blue Star Mothers, a support group for military moms, will include the yellow ribbons in care packages for deployed soldiers.
Our new type of ArtPrize venue gives veterans a voice as they share their stories of struggle and healing through art.
Yellow Ribbon is showcasing at Veterans Memorial Park.
A special thanks to Kent County Veterans Services, Zero Day, Office Max in Grandville, and Healing in Arts for making this collaboration of veteran stories possible.
