"I Tied A Yellow Ribbon"
Medium: Mixed Media Mosaic-Stained glass, plastic toy soldiers, balsa wood, ball chain, mirror and colored mirror.
Dimensions: 72" H x 61" W x 38" D
Artist Statement:
"There are many symbolic elements in I Tied A Yellow Ribbon that speak to the facets of military family life. Undoubtedly, if you are a military family member yourself, you will find your own meaning in this piece of mosaic artwork; some literal, some implied, and some deeply personal.
Taking a closer look at I Tied A Yellow Ribbon, you will find fifty small soldiers woven into the trunk/skirt of the sculpture, one for each of the stars on our country's flag. A list of fifty Special Forces team members lost in battle, was given to me by my brother, who is a retired member of the U.S. Army Special Forces. This list hung on the wall next to the sculpture every day that I worked creating her, and their names were prayed for, meditated on, and honored in the creative process.
Ball chain, indicative of the ones used to hold a soldier's ID tags, encircles the yellow ribbon's edge. The ribbon is made of multicolored iridescent glass, and reflective colored and clear mirror. Yellow being the symbolic color of hope and optimism of a soldier's loved ones, the ribbon entwines the body, crossing over the heart.
The figure sets on a wheeled base, as change and movement is constant especially for the military family. However, she also takes root in this life style, knowing it is her role to be strong on the home front. My initials/signature are "carved" into the wood. As children, my brother and I carved our initials into a fallen tree trunk in the woods we grew up playing in, using the first pocket knife I ever owned. As of today, this trunk is still where it was when we were kids. For me, this is my personal remembrance, as well as a tribute to my brother, Curtis V. Iovito I, who today designs tactical knives, and owns Spartan Blades, LLC., with his good friend, and also retired U.S. Army Special Forces, Mark Carey."
Medium: Mixed Media Mosaic-Stained glass, plastic toy soldiers, balsa wood, ball chain, mirror and colored mirror.
Dimensions: 72" H x 61" W x 38" D
Artist Statement:
"There are many symbolic elements in I Tied A Yellow Ribbon that speak to the facets of military family life. Undoubtedly, if you are a military family member yourself, you will find your own meaning in this piece of mosaic artwork; some literal, some implied, and some deeply personal.
Taking a closer look at I Tied A Yellow Ribbon, you will find fifty small soldiers woven into the trunk/skirt of the sculpture, one for each of the stars on our country's flag. A list of fifty Special Forces team members lost in battle, was given to me by my brother, who is a retired member of the U.S. Army Special Forces. This list hung on the wall next to the sculpture every day that I worked creating her, and their names were prayed for, meditated on, and honored in the creative process.
Ball chain, indicative of the ones used to hold a soldier's ID tags, encircles the yellow ribbon's edge. The ribbon is made of multicolored iridescent glass, and reflective colored and clear mirror. Yellow being the symbolic color of hope and optimism of a soldier's loved ones, the ribbon entwines the body, crossing over the heart.
The figure sets on a wheeled base, as change and movement is constant especially for the military family. However, she also takes root in this life style, knowing it is her role to be strong on the home front. My initials/signature are "carved" into the wood. As children, my brother and I carved our initials into a fallen tree trunk in the woods we grew up playing in, using the first pocket knife I ever owned. As of today, this trunk is still where it was when we were kids. For me, this is my personal remembrance, as well as a tribute to my brother, Curtis V. Iovito I, who today designs tactical knives, and owns Spartan Blades, LLC., with his good friend, and also retired U.S. Army Special Forces, Mark Carey."
