FREE Event May 23rd, 520 West 49th Street, NY, NY 10119, see Kevin B. Ploths photographic work. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 13 May 2015 Society of Artistic Veterans and American Red Cross of Greater New York present: The 2015 Veteran Arts Festival - May 23rd Memorial Day Weekend (New York, NY) May 11, 2015 – The Society of Artistic Veterans and the American Red Cross of Greater New York are excited to announce the first annual Veteran Arts Festival taking place at 520 W. 49th St., New York NY 10119 on the evening of May 23, 2015. The festival will showcase veteran artists Cary Abbott, Matthew Thomas Burda, Randy Clinton, Jennie Haskamp, Jeremy Lock, Bruce M. Ploth, Kevin B. Ploth, Maria Salazar, Phillip Schladweiler, Brian Winger and Janie Zetsch and include performances by Adrienne Brammer, Kodi Johnson, and Brandon Lanham. This event is free and open to the public. The evening will begin with a reception hour from 6 PM – 7PM, followed by an introductory speech by Society of Artistic Veterans Executive Director, Michael Castelblanco. From 7-10pm featured visual and applied arts veterans will be present to display and discuss their work, with intermittent musical, comedy, and theater acts by veteran performers. The event will conclude at 10pm. VISUAL AND APPLIED ARTS: Desert Storm veteran Cary Abbott served 20 years in Aviation Ordinance with the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and USMC Reserves. “American Values,” is a diorama featuring broken or dismembered GI Joe figurines collected over the years and arranged in four scenes. Intended to highlight the disconnect between the perception of the veteran as hero(ine) and the veteran as a broken victim, the viewer is forced to contemplate the cost of war. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veteran Matthew Thomas Burda (MTB) served 6 years in Security Forces with the United States Air Force. MTB is presenting his paintings “Red Storm Rise” and “Vanilla Dawn,” acrylic on stretched canvas, and “Where’s Javi?,” a short film based on a dream he had about a magical artifact; He describes the film as an exploration of the ‘Stoner-Comedy’ genre. OEF veteran Randy Clinton served 8 years as a Public Affairs Specialist and Combat Correspondent with the United States Marine Corps. “The Bronx” is a series of NYC street scenes photographed using a cellphone camera and printed on 12 x 12 metal squares. Through his work, Randy shows the breadth of his community by highlighting the promise of new business and new joys, while accepting the struggle of those who make this their home. OEF veteran Jennie Haskamp served her country twice; she first enlisted at age 16, and then again after the attack on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001. After serving as a Combat Correspondent with the United States Marine Corps, she continues to hone her writing and photography skills since leaving active duty. Jennie’s “Big City, Little Lenz” is a whimsical series of Instagram shots taken from a surprising perspective. United States Air Force veteran Jeremy Lock served 21 years as a Combat Photojournalist, having traveled to over 50 countries to document military campaigns. Named the Military Photographer of the Year seven times and featured in the National Geographic, Time, New York Times and Washington Post among others. In a selection of ten photographs from his “Twenty-One” series, Lock embeds himself into the tragedies, celebrations, and everyday realities of the world around him, imploring viewers to live and feel those moments as though witness at the moment of their capture. United States Army veteran Kevin B. Ploth served as a 14S Stinger/Avenger Systems, and learned the art of photography from his parents, in addition to training in stage,painting, sculpture and film. His father, Bruce M. Ploth served four years as a Photojournalist with the United States Coast Guard during the 1960’s; the work represented for this event document his experience aboard a USCG ice cutter in Antarctica. Color film (25mm); Black & White film (35mm). OIF veteran Maria Salazar served 8 years as a Motor Transport specialist in the United States Marine Corps. She finds that “art takes away the dust of everyday life,” and represents for her a form of therapy. “When Souls Recognize Each Other,” “Huancaina,” “A Mother’s Love,” and “The Wild” imbue a realist narrative with a spiritual and mystical sense of intention. Acrylic on canvas. OIF veteran Phillip Schladweiler served 8 years as a 13F Forward Observer in the United States Army with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry. After receiving a Purple Heart medical discharge for wounds received in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he began photographing the first images for his photography series “The Shrapnel Project.” Composed of high-resolution photos of bits of shrapnel pulled from the bodies of wounded service members and enlarged to many times their actual size, the juxtaposition of the photos and fragments together are a commentary on how seemingly small things can have such a large impact. Their presentation as art allows the individual to reconnect with their experience in a positive manner, turning destruction into reconstruction. OEF and Operation Noble Eagle veteran Brian Winger served a combined 15 years as a Port Security Specialist and Tactical Boat Engineer in the United States Coast Guard and USCG Reserves. Also serving as a first responder during the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center and a survivor of cancer, Brian started drawing last October as a way of insisting on emphasizing the beauty and humor in life despite some very challenging situations. Graphite pencil, colored pen and watercolor on paper. Vietnam and Desert Storm veteran Janie Zetsch served 20 years in United States Air Force as an Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic specializing in pneudraulics and stealth aircraft. Inspired by the marine life surrounding her home in Dauphin Island, Janie forges and handcrafts original jewelry from scratch. Recycled pure fine silver, copper, brass, and polymer clay. PERFORMING ARTS: OEF veteran Adrienne Brammer served 14 years as a Broadcast Journalist in the United States Air Force. An Actress, vocalist and journalist, Adrienne is also a freelance assistant editor at 48 Hours on CBS. Adrienne is reading from Oscar Wilde’s “Lady Windermere’s Fan.” OIF veteran Kodi Michelle Johnson served 4 years as a Financial Specialist with the United States Army. Taking the stage as Kodi Me’chele, she wants the audience to have an experience like they never had before, not only filled with endless laughter but something that they will carry forward and talk about to family and friends; a night that they will be dying to experience again. OEF veteran Brandon Lanham served 8 years as a Scout Sniper and Assaultman with United States Marine Corps Reconnaissance. An accomplished Singer/songwriter and recording artist, Brandon is currently pursuing a degree in Audio Engineering at the City College of New York. Brandon will be performing several songs from his 2.3.14 album. Voice and acoustic guitar. For more information please visit: http://societyofartisticveterans.com Media Contact: Michael Castelblanco (202) 525‐0626 | info@socartvets.com
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