This show is a reflection on my experience returning home from war, and using art to breakthrough instead of letting the experience break me. The pop art style of this exhibition is intentional to reflect the optimistic nature necessary for my recovery. I use this style to display heavy topics in a way that engages the viewer.

This show is a multimedia explosion that will showcase the skills I have learned while using the G.I. bill to earn my BFA at Murray State University.

My goal is to give the viewer fine art through the lens of graphic design using as many elements as possible. This is a topic that is typically difficult for me to talk about.

like JayZ said

“You can’t heal what you never reveal.”

Ribbon Spatter

This piece is a multifaceted meaning work about the medals I earned throughout my military service to show excellence and achievement. The drips represent other forms of decorations you may recieve during / after your service has ended. Such as tears, sweat, paint, blood, water, alcohol, spit, vomit, oil and ooze.

“It all started with the idea of melting ice cream”

How ice cream is a reward just like the G.I. bill or the medals you are awarded. You have to overcome personal barriers like self doubt and self harm that will prevent you from eating your ice cream. On another note, the melting can also symbolize coming back home and those awards having no meaning to the ones you did it all for. They just melt away and life back home keeps flowing.

DD 214 poster

The information used in this poster contains words from a DD 214 document and an abstract geometric target shape based off the human targets used in basic combat training. The idea behind this piece is to symbolize shooting at a target and being a target. I chose to make this piece so large as opposition to the “nothing follows” mindset; that you’ll never succeed after you leave.

Thoughts of War

This piece is about contrast in both idea and form and how those things collide and the impact that it creates. It represents life back at home vs. war and what happens throughout the homecoming experience.

I chose these shapes to read as “thoughts of war”

The blue cloud shape symbolize something soft, easy going, dreamy and peaceful. It also reminds me of dust from impact or the Afghanistan air. The sharp Red Wham is a more abrasive, hot, impactful, firework shape. These two shapes meet to nod at the idea of how these two worlds collide after service.

 The monitor visualizes this process. The way the mind works, process trauma and the effect it can have on someone. As well as the thought process before, during, and after returning home from war.