Red pants with black lettering hung from the wall. The red against the white walls intrigued me to walk closer. I approached the pants to discover I could actually read them. I realized I was reading someone’s true story. It touched my heart, as if I heard the voice speaking from the pants. I walked…
The students at Pine Grove Learning Center created a Butterfly Kaleidoscope together. Each child sponge-painted their own butterfly shapes with acrylic paints. The finished paintings were combined into one large collage. This Healing in Arts project symbolizes the beauty of transformation through colorful changing patterns from butterfly to butterfly—and student to student. We tailored the…
We are grateful for our twenty-two veteran artists from the Voices project, volunteers, gallery assistants, and corporate sponsors. Thanks to ArtPrize, the international art event held in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and to Kent County Veteran Services and Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency for making a project on this scale possible. A special thank you to the…
As part of the Voices project, 92 For 22 created a collective work called Unit of Connections. This veteran-based nonprofit raises awareness for the mental and physical struggles of those who have served our country by organizing an annual, 92-mile community walk to help lower the national average of veteran suicides per day from 22…
Ehren Tool, a big, burly guy, enlisted as a Marine in 1991. His grandfather, a World War II veteran, said, “They are going to take your soul.” And his father, a Vietnam veteran, warned that the images of war would haunt him forever. Five years later, with a combat action ribbon and a seven-month Gulf…
Lead Patriot Guard Rider, Mike Myers, wore several hats throughout his military career. He started as an artilleryman, transitioned to a wheeled vehicle mechanic, and later served as a medic. Following his honorable discharge, he worked in retail and eventually managed more than a dozen Target stores throughout Michigan. Earlier this spring, I contacted Mike…