Debbie Croft: Uniforms tell stories in Mariposa County Arts Council exhibit

We’ve heard the stories, seen the pictures, watched movies and maybe we’ve witnessed pained expressions on the face of a grandparent or great-grandparent, an uncle, an aunt or another aging relative as he or she spoke of personal loss in the Great War and its successor.

The world was a different place back then – bigger, simpler, slower.

Airplane and automobile travel were in their infancy, telephones had cords, typewriters had ribbons. Televisions, laptops, Kindles and iPhones hadn’t been invented yet. Just keeping a family fed and clothed was demanding. And a single quarter bought wholesome entertainment for an entire day.

For the most part, people stayed put and families stayed together.

Only a serious event such as war disrupted the everyday flow of community life. And battles were fought with enemies you could see, whether on the ground or in the air.

In contrast, today’s military conflicts and those during the end of the 20th century involve weapons and technology unheard-of by earlier generations.

Young soldiers shooting Patriot missiles in the Gulf War learned how to aim by playing video games.

Communication is now done via satellite – no postage stamps necessary. (But soldiers of every decade treasure handwritten letters from loved ones.)

“In Uniform” is the current exhibit on display at the Treetop Gallery with the Mariposa County Arts Council it will run through March 20.

Cara Goger, MCAC executive director, says, “(Featuring) the artwork of Drew Cameron, Binh Danh and Pam DeLuco, ‘In Uniform’ explores our individual, collective and environmental experience with war through artwork made from military uniforms.”

The unique artwork of these three artists gives us a glimpse into the hearts, minds and souls of the soldiers and veterans represented.

In Cameron’s handmade sheets of “Combat Paper,” uniforms from more than 60 years of conflict were transformed into pulp first, and then into paper. Still lifes in colored silhouettes and short essays provide the back stories.

One soldier swam deep in the bay to find solitude during his year in Cuba. Other soldiers stared death in the face, and came away feeling their souls had been stained or scarred or stolen from them.

Some warriors had interrupted college to serve their country, with plans to resume studies after returning home. But they never saw home, and instead, returned in flag-draped boxes.

Danh’s photography on camouflaged leaves (similar to those of his native Vietnam) is titled “Military Foliage.” When visiting the gallery, I found it interesting how framed glass protecting the leaves reflected artistry around the room, merging shared experience and varied expression together in the same piece of work.

DeLuco’s book, “Paper Dolls,” presents female uniforms from all five American military branches, along with narratives written by those who wore them.

A young high school graduate joined the Army National Guard, thinking she could serve while still enjoying civilian life. The following year New York’s World Trade Center towers were hit, and she put on her uniform. Sept. 11, 2001, became the day she stopped being a kid and became a soldier.

From illustrations of cammies and flight suits to dress blues, from combat boots to spit-shined black patent pumps, semi-humorous incidents are shared in the pages, as well as memoirs of days that changed their lives forever.

Read more about “In Uniform” at www.mariposaartscouncil.org/current-exhibitions. And make plans to visit.

Treetop Gallery is at 5009 State Highway 140. Entrance is free. Call 209-966-3155 or 800-903-9936, or email MCAC at info@arts-mariposa.org for details.

As an Air Force “brat,” I’ve got a soft spot for those who serve. I still keep in touch with friends I made overseas while our dads were stationed in Germany during the Cold War. And my son serves, too.

So, to the military veterans reading this, wherever you are, whichever war you fought in, and whatever generation you’re part of, I’m grateful for your service, as countless others are.

Thank you.

This story was originally published November 20, 2015 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Debbie Croft: Uniforms tell stories in Mariposa County Arts Council exhibit."