Following his military service, U.S. Navy veteran Ron Leigh eventually ended up at Silver Star Apartments, a housing facility for homeless veterans located in Battle Creek, Michigan. In 2013, while attending Kellogg Community College, Ron studied art, and he created a recreational-based program for Silver Star. The program focused on helping veterans develop positive friendships…
Born in the Netherlands in 1947, Frits became interested in art at an early age. His family first immigrated to Canada, and he became a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists at age fifteen. The family later immigrated to the USA, and before becoming a citizen, he was drafted to serve in Vietnam. Self-taught…
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…
The initial concept for Yellow Ribbon took root, in partnership with Kent County Veterans Services, as we set our sights on ArtPrize 2020. Over the next few months, this community-based work involved ten veteran art workshops across West Michigan. We initially planned six workshops, but the interest level kept growing; veterans and their families felt…
Military families tie yellow ribbons around trees, representing empathy and support, to say to our veterans, “Welcome back home.” The yellow ribbon also symbolizes suicide prevention. Expanding these traditions, Yellow Ribbon consists of three wooden trees designed by the artist, in partnership with Kent County Veteran Services, and includes the hands-on involvement of the veteran…
While preparing for ArtPrize 2020, Pamela has been leading various art workshops with Kent County Veterans Services. At the workshops, veterans and their families have sponge-painted special metallic paper, which Pamela will use to fashion the ArtPrize work. A special collection of eight mosaic-paintings created by veterans will be selected and incorporated into the overall…