Veterans Day 2023

A. When I learned this Doodle was for Veteran’s Day with a focus on mental health, I was struck by the sheer magnitude of the task. There has been at least one suicide in every unit I ever served in on active duty, and as a result I feel very strongly about this subject. The task was daunting: how do you create art to talk about something many people don’t want to discuss or face? An amazing commander I once had said, “mental health is a life and death issue, and a lifelong process.” So, I got to work.

I separated from active duty in July and stepped into this work from the mental space of that transition. In addition to that headspace, I created this during a military move. Each day I would wake up early to work on the Doodle while packing to move across the country. Unfortunately, during our move we lost a family member who experienced struggles with mental health.

I dedicate this Doodle to the loved one we lost, as well as anyone in the military or veteran community struggling with mental health. Your life brightens everyone around you, even if sometimes you can’t see it.

A. I interviewed dozens of people across branches, ranks, positions and ages. I asked: “What are your thoughts, points of frustration, and experiences regarding mental health during and after your time in service?” It became clear that there is no “quick fix” to address mental health issues. I learned that people must have the awareness, willingness, and the resources to receive mental health support. In or out of the force, care is often hard to access and people are afraid to get help because they fear what others will think of them and how it will affect their careers. Once we transition out of the military, we find ourselves suddenly experiencing a shift in identity and purpose, which impacts mental health as well.

I approached this Doodle with bold linework, strong use of color, and movement. I wanted to stretch myself further by adding dimension and cast shadows to represent emotion. The “pop up” effect in this work was created by layering paper to create dimension and depth. I did this on purpose to create actual shadow in the horizon between our characters and the sky.

A: Channeling my experience as a picture book author and illustrator, I wanted the art to tell an aspirational story depicting positive aspects of mental health to honor the sacrifices we make during our time in service. In the Doodle, military members and veterans are experiencing a shared sense of purpose as they create and release stars representing light and possibility into the sky.

Aside from veterans, it was important to me to depict a family because military families are impacted by the sacrifices inherent to service. Struggles with mental health reverberate throughout the entire family structure. Many families, like mine, serve generation after generation feeling these impacts. I also included a pregnant veteran as a nod of gratitude toward the Department of Defense’s new Military Parental Leave Program, which I have personally seen positively affect the lives of many.