By Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli
VSA Wisconsin

Two of NorthGate Shopping Center’s tenants worked together for the Bucky on Parade citywide art event. VSA teaching artist, Leslie Iwai, worked with veterans from the Madison Vet Center to create Full Fatigues Bucky, which is on display inside the Wisconsin Veterans Museum downtown. This project was sponsored by TDS Telecom.

Bucky’s uniform is a collage of every branch of the service since the Vietnam War. Material from actual uniforms was used and adhered with glue and sewing connections. The face and other non-clothed portions are collaged with scenes and sayings significant to the veterans who completed the artwork. The base is covered with acrylic paint and textured sand, and real laces were used on the boots. A representation of the United States flag is tucked under Bucky’s arm.

Our group of artists is made up of military veterans from all branches and represents many of the eras of conflict. The group came to be from a partnership between VSA Wisconsin, the state organization on arts and disability, and the Madison Vet Center, a Department of Veterans Affairs counseling center for veterans. The veterans involved see art not only as a hobby, but as a form of therapy and way of coping with their life stressors and military traumas.