Reclaimed Spirit

This piece of art entitled, "Reclaimed Spirit", was accompanied by the following message from the artist:

"This work of art is hand forged totally from reclaimed materials. The feathers were forged from angle iron reclaimed from metal pallets from a local tractor dealer. The feathers are attached to a steel ring, the remnants of a feeding device found in a cow pasture. The letters VT are fabricated from square tubing again reclaimed from metal pallets, this time from a local compressor manufacturer. The ribbon of steel was recovered from an old abandoned farmhouse foundation. The copper scroll was formed from what was a door kick plate in its previous life. The paint and finish were the only items purchased new.

Truly green art, as the materials are recycled or reclaimed, so goes the victims' spirit. There are 32 turkey gobbler feathers that represent the 32 victims. They are placed in a circle or wreath shape that symbolizes the circle of life. The wreath encircles the VT logo and ribbon. The ribbons' colors are maroon, orange, and black rather than white to symbolize the darkest day in VT's history. The letters VT were finished to match the feathers to signify that VT's Spirit is with those victims. Finally, the copper scroll represents the Honorary Degrees given to all the victims in pursuit of higher learning.

This "Reclaimed Spirit" is a tribute to the memory of the 32 innocent students and faculty members who were tragically taken from our Hokie Nation. It is up to those of us left behind to do what we can to "Reclaim their Spirit".

Contributed by; Hunter C. Perkinson Jr., Alumni 1980

Bradford C. Van Horn, Alumni 1980"

Photo taken at the April 16 Memorial on April 15, 2008.

Photo by Brent Jesiek.


Licensed under Creative Commons
<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/">Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0</a>

Brent Jesiek

2008-05-23

Kacey Beddoes

Brent Jesiek (bjesiek@vt.edu)

eng

The Moon-After, Virginia Tech Memorial

The Moon-After,
Virginia Tech Memorial

(2007) 40"x30" oil on canvas

It is the first time the full moon is observed after the massacre of Virginia Tech. For many, the moon will never look the same again.

This is a quest to extract the feelings for the souls that will be missed in the lives of many, and for the souls among us that were touched in different ways.

A trans-mix of materialistic and spiritual elements is represented by colorless buildings, lilies to convey an overwhelming feeling of surprise, shock, grieve and hope. Thirty-two different types of lilies in white and orange emerge from the gray-shaded mix of figures, symbolizing the spirits of the 32 victims.

With the absence of the victims from sight, they become like images, or like seasonal plants, that are soon gone.

Lilies were chosen to represent the diversity of the victims, as lilies grow all over the world in different types.

The work on this memorial started with the first full moon after the massacre, and was concluded early June 2007.

Original Source: <a href="http://www.tonysky.net/tony/pntg12.htm">http://www.tonysky.net/tony/pntg12.htm</a>

Antoine Faddoul

2008-04-16

Antoine Faddoul

eng

Metal art

A creation in metal made by a 1993 VT alumnus that reminds us of the words spoken by Professor Giovanni during a speech: "We are better than we think and not quite what we want to be."

Kacey Beddoes

2008-04-10

Kacey Beddoes

Kacey Beddoes (kbeddoes@vt.edu)

eng

Portrait of Dr. Librescu

I was a liason to an injured student in Dr. Librescu&#39;s class. She was injured from the jump out of the window, not a bullet. The student and her family believe that Dr. Librescu&#39;s actions saved her life. Her aunt was the artist. Her aunt also created a portrait of a deceased victim who lived near her. Dr. Librescu&#39;s portrait was given to me following the graduation ceremony that this student was able to walk in. I passed it on to the family liason for the Librescu family and it was well recieved by his survivors.

Robyn Hudson

2008-02-28

Robyn Hudson

eng

V-Tech: Chain of Reactions

We were supposed to do a project either showing ourselves perceptually or in response to the Virginia Tech shootings. Since I already have a self-portrait for pretty much every year of my life, I decided to do the latter.

After watching the Cho footage and some other student-captured footage on YouTube, I tried to think of the different reactions people might have and sketched out a rough group of people. I ended up adding some more words later. I also added some newspaper clippings related to the shootings.

The puzzle pieces represent a concept I was thinking about. Originally I had come up with "Nobody wants to have a view of the world with pieces that are missing, just like no one is satisfied with a puzzle that can&#39;t be completed" in regards to the importance of protecting endangered species, but it works here too... think about all the families and friends that lost someone close to them in the blink of an eye. Now there are empty spaces in their lives where those people should have been, but now aren&#39;t because of this... Yeah, cheesey, but I like my analogy.

I threw in some silver you can&#39;t see for all the black. All the eyes are either orange or maroon (the school&#39;s colors) as well as a few of the puzzle pieces.

I admit I rushed, but the teacher liked it, but then this one student who likes to give me (and only me, apparently) constructive criticism all the time said the two figures on the left were the same height and took away from the rest of the drawing, and that they should be cropped out. I&#39;ve looked at it and I -guess- I see what he means, but I like the composition like it is, honestly, and the girl about to pray (who reminds me of Kraehe from Princess Tutu) is one of my favorites), so... O_o And then everyone got into a big discussion over whether it took away from it or not and I just sat there and muttered "wow, we&#39;re arguing". Seriously... I think maybe he thinks I think too highly of my own work because the teacher praises me all the time (I really haven&#39;t liked much of the work I did in class at all, and always try to criticise myself - which doesn&#39;t work cuz Richard&#39;s always like "WTC?"). I liked Lindsay&#39;s and Scott&#39;s pieces. I really liked Lindsay&#39;s, it was way neat.

Anyway, sorry for the IRL rant.

Time: ...er... maybe 3.5 hours? I dunno. Not long in all honesty
Materials: black and silver sharpies, markers, pencil (for sketch), newspaper clippings, charcoal, conte crayon (I actually sprayed this to seal; go me)

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/"> Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5</a>

Drawn by Ellana

Ellana

2007-07-20

Chad Newswander

Permission:
Creative Commons
ryoushirogane@yahoo.com

eng

Virginia Tech 4.16.07

<b>Artist&#39;s Comments</b>

Dedicated to those who lost their lives in the massacre at Virginia Tech...

--

Original Source: <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53603449/">http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53603449/</a>

Licensed under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/">
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5</a>.

Stephen A Evans / digitalpharaoh

2007-06-04

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5

eng

Cho Seung

<b>Artist&#39;s Comments</b>

Image made for the newspaper I work at (Nyhedsavisen). Asking questions like "was the evil or just haunted? Was it something in his head or the society around him?"

Kinda funny... A few months ago this was a guy I&#39;d never ever have a chance to even know. And now I&#39;m actually drawing him. Amazing what killing some people will get you.

The media said he had no feelings, but I think he had too many of them.

--

Provided courtesy of Riana M&#248;ller, <a href="http://www.fealasy.com/">http://www.fealasy.com/</a>

Original Source: <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55107879/">http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55107879/</a>

Riana M&#248;ller

2007-06-04

Brent Jesiek

eng

Question Mark by artistm0nk

<b>Artist&#39;s Comments</b>

?

Lay me on the ground
Fly me in the sky
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find...
Teach me how to speak
Teach me how to share
Teach me where to go
Tell me will love be there
Will love be there?

- Shine by Collective Soul


This is <b>Seung-hui Cho</b> aka "Question Mark", the gunman of the Virginia Tech Massacre.

--

Original submitted to deviantart.com on April 24, 2007: <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53906656/">http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/53906656/</a>

Licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License</a>.

Aletheia Rio ("Artistmonk")

2007-05-24

Brent Jesiek

reative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5

eng

Today We Are All Hokies by phantom-inker

<b>Artist&#39;s Comments</b>

On a sunny warm morning on September 17, 1996, a young woman with a long history of mental health problems walked onto the Penn State campus, sat down under a tree on one of the most popular lawns on campus, took a seven-millimeter Mauser rifle, and fired five shots randomly into the crowd. Melanie Spalla was killed, Nicholas Mensah was injured, and two others later found bullet holes in their backpacks. When the bullets started to fly, Brendan Malovrh had the amazing courage to run not away from them but toward them; he wrestled the rifle and a knife away from the deranged Jillian Robbins and held her until police could arrive. Had he not acted so quickly and selflessly, Penn State could easily have suffered the tragedy that Virginia Tech is dealing with today.

On my way to class, I walked right past the spot where Jillian killed a girl --- only an hour after it happened. If my class had been an hour earlier, I could have been right in the line of her sights.

Today, we are all Hokies.

Every alumnus who carries a degree and every student who studies in the quad, every professor who goes beyond the call of duty and every parent who worries about her child, we are all Hokies.

Our hearts and prayers go out to you, Virginia Tech. By the grace of God we all hope that may never happen again anywhere.

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hetzel_Union_Building_shooting">The Hetzel Union Building Shootings</a> | <a href="http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1996_jan-dec/1996_sept/1996-09-27_the_daily_collegian/1996-09-27d01-001.htm">The Digital Collegian, Sep 27, 1996</a> | <a href="http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_108154617.html">Penn State Shooting in 1996 Hauntingly Familiar</a> | <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE3DE1638F937A15756C0A96E958260&amp;n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fOrganizations%2fP%2fPennsylvania%20State%20University">Woman Pleads Guilty in Penn State Shooting</a><br />

--

This picture is of Ally, my centauress character, and I drew it in a single sitting of six hours during which I had a very hard time not crying. I&#39;m offering it as a print, and it&#39;s my first (and only) print. Due to the seriousness of the situation, I&#39;m also offering <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55169511/">a version where Ally is human</a>, which some people might prefer. Regardless of her species, the point remains the same: We&#39;re thinking of and praying for you and yours, VT.

--

Original submitted to deviantart.com on May 12, 2007: <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55167862/">http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/55167862/</a>

Licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.5/">Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 License</a>.

The Phantom Inker

2007-05-24

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 License

eng

V-Tech: Chain of Reactions

<b>Artist&#39;s Comments</b>

We were supposed to do a project either showing ourselves perceptually or in response to the Virginia Tech shootings. Since I already have a self-portrait for pretty much every year of my life, I decided to do the latter.

After watching the Cho footage and some other student-captured footage on YouTube, I tried to think of the different reactions people might have and sketched out a rough group of people. I ended up adding some more words later. I also added some newspaper clippings related to the shootings.

The puzzle pieces represent a concept I was thinking about. Originally I had come up with "Nobody wants to have a view of the world with pieces that are missing, just like no one is satisfied with a puzzle that can&#39;t be completed" in regards to the importance of protecting endangered species, but it works here too... think about all the families and friends that lost someone close to them in the blink of an eye. Now there are empty spaces in their lives where those people should have been, but now aren&#39;t because of this... Yeah, cheesey, but I like my analogy.

I threw in some silver you can&#39;t see for all the black. All the eyes are either orange or maroon (the school&#39;s colors) as well as a few of the puzzle pieces.

I admit I rushed, but the teacher liked it, but then this one student who likes to give me (and only me, apparently) constructive criticism all the time said the two figures on the left were the same height and took away from the rest of the drawing, and that they should be cropped out. I&#39;ve looked at it and I -guess- I see what he means, but I like the composition like it is, honestly, and the girl about to pray (who reminds me of Kraehe from Princess Tutu) is one of my favorites), so... O_o And then everyone got into a big discussion over whether it took away from it or not and I just sat there and muttered "wow, we&#39;re arguing". Seriously... I think maybe he thinks I think too highly of my own work because the teacher praises me all the time (I really haven&#39;t liked much of the work I did in class at all, and always try to criticise myself - which doesn&#39;t work cuz Richard&#39;s always like "WTC?"). I liked Lindsay&#39;s and Scott&#39;s pieces. I really liked Lindsay&#39;s, it was way neat.

Anyway, sorry for the IRL rant. =P

Time: ...er... maybe 3.5 hours? I dunno. Not long in all honesty

Materials: black and silver sharpies, markers, pencil (for sketch), newspaper clippings, charcoal, conte crayon (I actually sprayed this to seal; go me)

About license: You may use this for noncommercial uses if you want, like if you were doing a video montage tribute to Virginia Tech or something. Just please 1) credit me and 2) do not change this image. None of my work should be used for any purpose unless it is stated that you can.

--

Original submitted to deviantart.com on April 30, 2007: <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/54344293/">http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/54344293/</a>

Licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/">
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License</a>.

ellana

2007-05-24

Brent Jesiek

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5

eng