GMC Prep art student put a face to sacrifice, patriotism on display

Published 10:29 am Monday, November 26, 2018

The show, “Portraits of Courage: The Veterans at the Georgia War Veterans Home,” is the result of GMC senior visual art students, and a select few of gifted underclassman, conducting interviews with veterans home residents about their personal lives and military service. They took information gleaned from the veterans and used it to create portraits reflecting the student’s perception of the experience — including the emotion expressed by both the subject and the artist.

The project was inspired by former Pres. George W. Bush’s “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors,” a collection of oil paintings crafted by Bush to honor the sacrifices of those who served the country post-9/11.

All proceeds from the sale of the book go to fund programs at the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative that aims to help military members transition to civilian life, help veterans find employment, and address ways to treat both the visible and hidden injuries of war. 

“This project inspired me to have students find out about local veterans who have served and learn about the history of their service,” said GMC Prep School visual arts director Maj. Paige Barlow. “It is an art exhibit about brave men and women who have been tremendous national assets in the Armed Forces and who continue to be vital to the future success of our school and country.” 

In preparation for the interviews, students developed a series of questions to ask each veteran on their field trip to the Georgia War Veterans Home. They met with 30 residents and conducted the interviews over an hour and a half period — asking about their service, families and careers. They took photos to preserve the moment for both history and to draw upon when constructing the portraits. 

In addition to the visual rendering assignment, the students wrote two essays — one about their personal experience and the second detailing the veteran who they drew that would hang next to the portrait on exhibit. 

In her personal essay, art student Brianna Bazemore said she was a little scared at first because she had never visited GWVH and didn’t know what to expect. She interviewed residents Zacky and George. 

“Once I got the conversation going, then it was all laughter after that,” she said. “This was definitely an eye-opening experience because it makes you realize that the freedom we have in America isn’t just handed to us, it is actually fought for. It made me so grateful.”

During the interview, Bazemore said George shared stories about his wife and three sons and his job while in service. With Zacky, discussion of college football, his time in the Navy, his love of family, especially his late wife, dominated the interview. 

“It was such a joy getting to know them and hearing about their service, even Zacky’s story of being in battle and seeing his comrades dying in front of him. It was really hard for me to ask him questions because I did not want to overstep, but he was such an amazing guy,” she said. 

For GMC student Cooper Garrett, interviewing Burt Ray, World War II veteran, was both intimidating and thrilling. 

“We learned a lot about his life and family and the many places he visited while in the service. I was nervous at first because I had never conducted an interview before and I felt like the questions were a bit invasive, but he answered without hesitation. The time we spent with him is something I will never forget,” said Garrett.

For Ray, the interview was time well-spent. 

“I was thrilled and it put a smile on my face.” 

Cadet Zoey Monica describes her subject, Lois Dowdy, a 71-year-old Army veteran, as funny, smart, and quite the character. 

“She told me that she enlisted at 19 years old and not much could change her view on the world. There are still good parts and bad parts and that her job in the military was important,” said Monica. 

For Dowdy, the art project was a welcomed opportunity to share her life experiences with a young adult. 

“The student did a good job on my picture and I felt valued and recognized for my service.”      

The students were not the only participants reaping the benefits of interaction with these American heroes — the veterans themselves were grateful for the students’ acknowledging their sacrifices. 

“The veterans felt truly honored by the students’ portraits of them and the time that they spend talking with them,” said GWVH Recreation Services Director Wanda Blackwell. “From observing the veterans participating in this project, I witnessed a great deal of pride exhibited from having their portraits being displayed.” 

The exhibit opened at the Georgia Military College’s auditorium on Central State Campus on Nov. 12 during the Veterans Day Ceremony.  The portraits will be moved and displayed on Dec. 4, at the GMC Fine Arts Gala and Winter Art Show from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. The art show is free and open to the public. 

For more information on the show, email Paige Barlow at pbarlow@gmc.edu.

GMC invites the public to enjoy an interactive experience while viewing the exhibit by posting pictures to social media by using #heARTfeltlove4ourveterans.