Canvas Testimonies

March 20, 2003.
October 7, 2001.
6,026 (as of June 5, 2011)

These numbers mean a lot to me. After October of 2001 I was not very happy with our government's decision to attack a nation, unprovoked. Then we did it again in March of 2003. My contract with the Army expired in 2002, and I was never recalled to active duty. However the soldiers who were called up, those deployed, they have been living in my head since 2001. I came across an old friend who I was stationed with in Korea and learned he reenlisted. He has been in and out of Afghanistan many times, and was even a part of the terrible events at Wasau. I was proud of him when I saw on Dateline he reenlisted again.

I am married now and have been hard at work trying to get my career off the ground and trying to be the best artist I can. I made the choice to continue in my civilian life, yet I can't stop thinking of those who continue putting their lives in harm's way.

I have thought for the past years that I would really love to do some grand gesture that would help represent those who have fallen. Especially now, as I realize over 6,000 Americans have given their lives in these two conflicts. The Vietnam Veterans have a wall of names in Washington, and that has always been my major influence on this project. I have thought of many ways of representing these lives, and I think this week I have finally come upon a great way to represent these lives.

I plan on painting a dog tag for each one of the fallen soldiers. I think that when these painted dogtags are all viewed at one given time, it will help show how many 6000 really is. I am painting these on 8" x 10" canvases with 16 dogtags fitting on each one. I am using my own personal dogtag to help shape them so they are close to being full size.
I have debated many ideas on how I want to do this and in the end I have decided to try and put them all on the same size canvas. This will mean that in the end, If i lined them all up, it would end up being over 250 feet long (they are being viewed vertical.) If stacked you could do them 2 up and it would be 125 feet, 3 up = just under 84 feet... in other words I'm expecting a whole lot of canvases. not too mention 375 paintings. That is a LOT of work, and a LOT of resources I don't have.

This is why I am starting this blog. I'd like to start stoking some interest in this project, and seeing what the rest of the world thinks of this idea. I am going to try and take photos as I work on this to keep the process documented, and will keep this blog updated. I want you to feel as much a part of this project as I am. I would love for this to see a nation wide tour when it is done. I am debating on whether it's significance is more important for the pieces to always be together or maybe sell them off as pieces. This brings me to the next idea to help fund the process. I could start a kickstarter and offer books and prints for the donators and for top donators they would actually receive one of the finalized canvases. That has not been finalized. I would like your input. Should i start a kickstarter? I was thinking I would start one just to help pay for the materials and such, then when I got all 375+ paintings done I could then do another kickstarter to raise the funds and have a nationwide tour of the paintings. I would love to see these done and all displayed, I think it would be very emotional. Please, leave me comments on how you feel about the kickstarter idea and such.

I have been called a very political person, but this is not about the politics. PLEASE keep comments off the politics of the war. This is about the soldiers, this is about art and this is about an art project to help represent the loss we have suffered. PLEASE keep to these types of subjects. I am not one for censorship, but don't be surprised if i censor comments that I feel get into the politics of the situation.. then again, I might not... but I'd rather people steer clear of that part of this situation.

Remember, I have a full time job and I do have other art projects that I am in the middle of, so time is not always available for me to update this blog or the project, but I do plan on working on it when I can. I also don't have the most of disposable income, as I was one of those laid off from the down-turned economy and am only finally now catching up on my employment. I may even think about letting other artists get involved, haven't fully decided on this.. as long as they follow certain rules that I have set (in my head) on how this is to play out.

So, on to today's progress. I had a little bit of spare cash, so I bought a few 8" x 10" canvases. I started work on the first one. I started to think of putting in the chains, but in the end I feel it may be a bit distracting from the main elements, the dogtags. I wanted to put a simple tromp l'oeil effect, and I'm not really going for photorealism here, but I also don't want it too impressionistic. I do want them to resemble dogtags. I still have to add the data on this first one, but it was more about trying to find the look I wanted. Here's some pictures of the process.

so, that's how it's looking so far. I'm thinking I should put the Name, and possibly rank, date of death and possibly their locations (either where they fell or where they hail).

I am using the list from Washington Post I am sure their list is pretty accurate (if you know of otherwise, let me know). This means this first canvas represents the first 16 soldiers who died. As I progress in this project, I will bring up those who are being represented. These are more than just stars on a wall, more than just flecks of paint on canvas, more than just a pair of dogtags hanging on a rifle with a set of boots and K-Pot.. these were flesh and blood people who have left behind friends, families and other loved ones. They live on in our memories. This is my way of helping them live on, so I will bring up their names.

I will give each one their own post (so the next 16 posts will be about them.)

I guess I should also point out that I have started a twitter , and a facebook , so let's get the word out on this project and maybe that will give me the motivation and support to see it to the end.

I've also set up a paypal, in case any of you got a buck or two you want to donate as I start this.

So, join the twitter, the facebook and then give me feedback on what you think.