Storekeeper in De Nang
Artist: Yvette M. Pino
Veteran: Paul B., US Navy
2012
It’s been a few years since I spoke with Paul. At the time he was suffering from the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease brought on by his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Although he had fought a hard battle with the VA to receive proper treatment and compensation, his story was not focused on that. He shared with me his time in the Navy and was very proud of his boot camp experience. He went on to tell me of his time in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. There are many layers in this print that show not only Paul’s veteran experience, but also include tangible evidence of our time shared while recording his oral history.
"The Hat- a Sailor's Badge"
Artist: Yvette M. Pino
Veteran: Paul B., US Navy
2012
It’s been a few years since I spoke with Paul. At the time he was suffering from the advanced stages of Parkinson’s disease brought on by his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. Although he had fought a hard battle with the VA to receive proper treatment and compensation, his story was not focused on that. He shared with me his time in the Navy and was very proud of his boot camp experience. While he shuffled through his boot camp yearbook, he pointed out the laundry detail and talked about the special knots used to hang the clothes. He also mentioned the importance of the iconic white sailor hat. He said that those hats weren't just issued to young recruits--those hats have to be earned. I thought the significance of this right of passage would be meaningful graphic.
Knocked the Target
Right Off the Tracks
Artist: Yvette M. Pino
Veteran: Donald W., US Army
Thank you to the family of WWII Veteran Donald W. of Milwaukee for allowing me to spend time with Don to record his WWII oral history for The Wisconsin Veterans Museum and to have the privilege of making his print. It captures a moment when Don shot the moving target at the 50 Cal range and shot it right off the tracks. In the background you can see the winding Burma Road that Don masterfully drove when others couldn’t handle the sharp curves.
Ohne Scham (Without Shame)
Artist: Yvette M. Pino
Veteran: Angie P., US Army
I interviewed Angie several years ago and she has been patiently waiting for her print. There have been several editions of the image I wanted to create and the most simplified version is the result. There are so many elements of Angie’s story that I wanted to cover in a succinct way but my urge to use multiple layers like I always do kept creeping in to halt my momentum. I find it somewhat soothing to know that I was able to feel some of her angst in my creative process. As a truck driver in the Army in Germany, Angie suffered a career ending back injury while unloading large tires from her delivery load. I was touched by this story because it took away the one thing Angie wanted which was to be a soldier. Her life trajectory was altered but it made her a resilient and ferocious social justice advocate for her children while she leads a strong ant-bullying campaign. She may have the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she tosses it around like tires and overcomes the pain.
Special Ops As Three Musicians
Artist: Jack Damer
For each new portfolio of prints, the Veteran Print Project seeks to have one print created by a master printer. Jack Damer was asked to produce a print for the Not at Ease portfolio. Mr. Damer, University of Wisconsin Professor of Art and a veteran himself, agreed and produced the image you see here.
“One can think of making multiples as a unique form of “stop action” where a particular image is examined in various stages of development. For example, a drawing on a stone is refined and revised, either minutely or extensively and each alteration, if printed, is a form of documentation of the creative process. The print matrix can literally store time by holding the marks and reductions of past decisions. The states evoke cyclical and linear time and act as a metaphor for the artistic process itself.”
-Jack Damer
www.jackdamer.com
Nine Lives
Artist: Elizabeth Dove
Veteran: Veteran requested anonymity
This print was made in partnership with The Station Foundation.
