Thursday, November 11, 2021

Post 67: Veterans Day Artwork by PWAS Member Ken Meardon

In Honor of Veterans Day - PWAS Member, Ken Meardon's PhotoArt

All of Ken's pictures below are photos that he has made into "PhotoArt".  For example, the backgrounds for the soldiers are not the real backgrounds and the one with three soldiers is a composite.  Also, he has added the plane to the WWII picture.

Vietnam Women's Memorial


A popular tourist destination, the National Mall is home to several notable monuments and memorials, including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Equally important on this symbolic landscape is the Vietnam Women’s Memorial located just north of the Reflecting Pool. The memorial was dedicated in 1993 and portrays three women caring for a fallen soldier.

During the Vietnam War, women served in many different roles. Many women served as nurses and physicians while others acted as air traffic controllers, communication specialists, and  intelligence officers. The Vietnam Women’s Memorial was established to honor the women who risked their lives to serve their country. The names of the eight women who died in Vietnam are included on the list of over 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Korean War Memorial (the two soldier pictures)


The Korean War Veterans Memorial is located near the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It was dedicated on July 27, 1995. The Memorial was designed and financed by private contributions and erected under the auspices of the Korean War Veterans Memorial Advisory Board composed of Korean War veterans appointed by President Reagan.  The memorial commemorates the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the three-year period of the Korean War. The War was one of the most hard fought in our history. During its relatively short duration from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, over 36,000 American servicemen and 7,100 Korean Augmentation to the United States Army (KATUSA) died in hostile actions in the Korean War theater. Of these, 8,200 are listed as missing in action or lost or buried at sea. In addition, 103,284 were wounded during the conflict. The Memorial consists of four parts.

The 19 stainless steel statues were sculpted by Frank Gaylord of Barre, VT and cast by Tallix Foundries of Beacon, NY. They are approximately seven feet tall and represent an ethnic cross section of America. The advance party has 14 Army, 3 Marine, 1 Navy and 1 Air Force members. The statues stand in patches of Juniper bushes and are separated by polished granite strips, which give a semblance of order and symbolize the rice paddies of Korea. The troops wear ponchos covering their weapons and equipment. The ponchos seem to blow in the cold winds of Korea.

World War II Memorial
 

Through stone architecture and bronze sculptures, the World War II Memorial recognizes the ways Americans served, honors those who fell, and recognizes the victory they achieved to restore freedom and end tyranny around the globe.  The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. The Second World War is the only 20th Century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central axis.  The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004 and was dedicated one month later on May 29.


Local Art: Visit us at Clearbrook Center of the Arts at Tackett's Mill in Lake Ridge, VA on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 – it’s free to see the artwork! Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership


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Artwork: Ken Meardon
An artist member and Treasurer of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA specializing in PhotoArt. See his website at https://www.kenmeardonsphotoart.com/.
 
 
Photography/Video Credits: 
Ken Meardon

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