One of my greatest aspirations in life as well as art is to provide more obtuse perceptions. As artists we have a somewhat unique quandary. We must not only answer questions or solve problems; we must first create the questions and problems we wish to solve.

Lately I have been noticing a lack of interest in the American populace toward the fact that young service men and women are still dying every day. Reflecting upon my own military experience I think that I too should feel more sorrow, or at least something more about my brethren and their difficult times. I have had people who I have trained, and who even looked up to me as a life mentor, die in Iraq, Yet, I regrettably do not have the appropriate reaction to this type of difficult news. Maybe it’s because one cannot live their life in sorrow, or maybe we just need reminders.

As a visual artist, and especially one interested in installation, I often wish to create a mood within the viewer. In reference to this situation I’m looking for one that is a combination of anger, fear, pity, and sorrow. Even if I too am having trouble feeling these emotions over the subject, I have been "over there" and at least have an idea of what those who are now in harm’s way are undergoing. I would like the audience to take a walk in their shoes; a difficult task no matter what your political ideology.

Within my goal of increasing perspective, I wish to help those of us who are against this war rethink standard anti-military propaganda and see military personnel as the worker ants that they are. I wish to help those who are for the war to realize what exactly it is which they support. I wish to help family and loved ones of service people know that theirs are not forgotten. Mostly, however, I wish to help myself by finding the emotions I know I have about the subject of war as well as for each individual service member who has laid his/her life on the line.