Well, this year's drive is related to the "Field of Valor" being held in Sidney during the first week of September. During this week, the Historical Society is bringing The Traveling Vietnam Wall to Sidney, erecting a field of flags (approx. 1,000 U.S. Flags flying in an adjacent field), the civic band is putting on a concert, a local car club is hosting a car show "cruise-in" and a local runners club is holding a 5K run/walk "To the Wall." All in all , it will be a fun week.
In conjunction with this event, the Gateway Arts Council will display the entries at the field so the public can see all "this great art work." This year's artists are all Veterans of the Sidney/Shelby County area, and their work is to be related to something patriotic or from their military past.
Yes, I am one of the artists, and I would like to present my piece titled "Duty, Honor, Country."
This piece is mounted on a 16"x22" canvas. I made the background by cutting up an old pair of my BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) pants and gluing it over the canvas. The picture is one I set up against a wall of ivy on a brick wall. The Gateway people told us that each of our pieces should have a personal story behind it, so my story is that I wore, carried, ate, shot, cut or followed every item of equipment used in this piece. I shot the picture and then got it enlarged as a black and white. I also had a color one done just so I could cut out the U.S. Flag and paste it in. I thought it would draw one's eye into the shot.
I have no delusions of grandeur here, but did have fun making it and going thru the process. I would also like to make a couple of bucks for the Council, but that's about it. Not about to give up my day job (oh, yeah, I already did that!!). There was one other possible name for it "Tools of the Trade" but thought the one I chose would work out better in the long run. I hope you like it.
One other thing I almost forgot -- once the Gateway reaches a certain point in funds received from this project, they plan to donate 50% of their funds over that point to the Dayton VA Hospice. What a noteworthy project. In fact, one of the pieces in this "contest" is being done by the director of that Hospice unit, a retired Army Colonel who also serves as the chief nurse on our Vets to DC trips. If you have time after September 5th or so, go to the Gateway Arts Council's website to check out all the works. <gatewayartscouncil.org>. Click on the Bad Art by Good People link.
A patriot is one who, against all odds and circumstances, is prepared to defend his country...and sometimes against its own government.
Hooah
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