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The actual installation of the gigantic steel leaves became a sort of performance art show for locals and visitors alike as Connor and the veterans hoisted the leaves into place with a crane and then clambered around on the sculpture grinding, spot welding, and doing touch-ups.
About 20 veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Vietnam, and WWII helped to create the sculpture.
“ We’ ve had some really emotional moments on that thing,” Connor said.“ There was a Vietnam veteran who came and welded on it. Sometimes these vets come, they don’ t really know one another, but once they meet, they can share their experiences. Ultimately, it’ s a healing experience for them.”
“ Part of the problem is they want to engage and people don’ t know what to say to them,” Johnson said.“ It’ s not like,‘ if you do art you’ ll be healed miraculously.’ But for some guys, just doing some art and focusing on something simple is valuable.”
He said the healing goes beyond the veterans to everyday people who see the sculpture.“ You draw people in with the art piece, and once they’ re there, you can give them the message that you’ re trying to get across,” Connor said.“ We’ re not trying to build war monuments, we’ re trying to raise awareness and we’ re trying to build beautiful things that are positive.”
Johnson said this is the first of what he hopes are many largescale, social impact projects Elder Heart will be known for.
“ I’ m going to Cincinnati to meet with some different people who are associated with public art in
photo by Sara Dawdy
Cincinnati,” he said.“ They’ re looking at the news and the photos of everything we’ re doing here in Indiana and they are inspired.”
“ This was our kickoff,” he said.“ Our ultimate goal is to put these all across the country. The idea is for us to be able to go out to other communities and show them how they can go about teaming up their artists and veterans together to do projects on their own— what their community needs.”
“ War is a really difficult thing,” Johnson said.“ A lot of people have a lot of opinions, and they’ re entitled to that opinion. But what we’ ve got to do as a community and a nation is to honor the warriors and veterans who do serve for this country.”
To learn more about Elder Heart or contribute to their cause visit < elderheart. org >. •
photo by Sara Dawdy
18 Our Brown County • July / August 2014