Welcome Home: Veterans' Mural

For winter 2016 semester, January through April 2016, the Museum and Art 433 class worked with Veterans from Saginaw Valley State University Military Student Affairs and the Saginaw Vet Center to create a digital mural (later, smaller artwork), placed at Saginaw Vet Center, 5360 Hampton Place, suite 200, Saginaw, MI 48604. A duplicate of it was presented to the SVSU Military Student Affairs office in Curtiss Hall 114.


‌

Art 433 students worked with Veterans from SVSU Military Student Affairs and the Saginaw Vet Center to discuss appropriate imagery. Denise M. Berry, Director SVSU Military Student Affairs/Special Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs and Steven Woodford, Director of the Saginaw Vet Center, worked with the Art 433 class for this project.   Though the veterans told stories of PTSD and difficulties adjusting, and the students carefully depicted them in a mural that filled the wall, it was decided that a smaller artwork with positive imagery was most appropriate.  One version had improper flag protocol, so was revised.


Art 433 students were Tylar Greer-Travis, Marissa Kemp, Malory Kochanny, Tianna Lazaruk, Katherine Longoria, and Samantha Rieger.  SVSU Art alum Laura Izzo observed part of the process.

Participating veterans were Tom Arnold, Gary Purcell, Walter Lubeckyj, Michael McCann, Jeffrey Hanson, David Springer, Brian Rush, David Springer, Joshua Eggert and Denise M. Berry.

Saginaw Community Foundation funded this project. Andrea Ondish and Geoffe Haney took photos, Perry Toyzan and the SVSU Graphics Center printed the initial artwork and Barrett Signs arrived to install it at the Saginaw Vet Center.  A documentary booklet was designed by Marissa Kemp.  Thanks to Marilyn L. Wheaton, Director of the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, and to Hideki Kihata, Chair of the SVSU Art Department.