I enlisted in the Army in 2003. In 2004, I left for a 12+ month deployment to Iraq. Typically, we worked seven days a week in a country, where the painted landscape displayed various shades of brown. Triple-digit temperatures made daily life hard. With ordnance exploding all around us, the biggest take away was all about trusting the guy next to you. We discovered the importance of working as a team to survive. We needed each other to cope with stress and to manage our fears.
After leaving the army, I rejoined the civilian world in construction. My wife and I enjoy our three dogs: Gus, Jaq (like the mice from Cinderella), and Roe—as in “Rules of Engagement.” As an artistic person, I constantly bounce between the left brain, in construction, and the right brain, in my love for art. But after combat duty, I struggled to express myself. My feelings about the world got locked up, making it difficult to deal with the anxiety. By turning to art, the dark emotions churning inside me—the residual effects of war—finally found an outlet.
Tormented Souls
This series of pen and ink drawings came from raw emotions. After my tour in Iraq, drawing became a therapy, because I usually draw from my dark spots. Art helped me to funnel my negative energy into a positive outlet, to keep my problem from escalating. It takes about two to three days to finish each pen and ink drawing. The work starts with sketching on archival paper. Next, I develop the line work. The third drawing, with the couple embracing, pictures me with my first wife. While struggling to escape a dark place, I cried out, “Don’t let me lose myself.” As I reached out, she embraced me in this gigantic hug. Art provided a way for me to communicate without words, to release my concerns, and to experience healing and restoration.
Our new type of ArtPrize venue gives veterans a voice as they share their stories of struggle and healing through art.
Tormented Souls is showcasing at Veterans Memorial Park
A special thanks to Kent County Veterans Services, Zero Day, Finish the Mission, West Michigan Veterans Coalition, Frames Unlimited, and Healing in Arts for making this collaboration of veteran stories possible.
