Hello Reader,
In this blog post I’d like to discuss with you the creative process behind my recent piece “Hollow Heart.”
I got the idea to make Hollow Heart when I saw the call for entries into the 5th issue of an art journal called Monochromica. The journal showcased art centered around one color. The last issue had been red, this issue was set to be purple. While reading it, the first thing that came to mind was the Purple Heart medal we here in the US give to soldiers who’ve become disabled or lost their lives in combat. I thought that the journals focus on one color could be used to deliver a really impactful message about what soldiers lose in war.
To be more specific, my idea was that of a monochromatic soldier lying on the ground bleeding from bullet wounds carved into the canvas itself, their red filling up the entirety of the background behind them. And a small Purple Heart medal would be carelessly placed on their chest. The piece would cause the viewer to think about how small and hollow medals and accolades are in the face of what people lose in war. This would be amplified by its placement into Monochromica. The viewer would search the piece for where the purple was only to find a small purple medal. “But that’s so small in comparison to all that red!” They would think to themselves, before it dawned on them that the smallness was the point.
Hollow Heart Thumbnail Sketches:
Photo of Hollow Heart in development:
But before I actually made the painting there was someone I needed to discuss it with first. I don’t feel it’s my place to talk about, but my mother is a combat veteran, so I figured that since this piece dealt with themes of what one loses in war, I thought I ought to see what she thought of the idea before making it. She ended up really liking the idea, so I went ahead and started producing the work.
I thought about my mom a lot when making this piece.
I decided to go with a flatter style than I usually do with this piece. I figured illusionism wouldn’t really work if I was literally going to stab holes into the thing. My mother inspired the decision to make the soldier a staff sergeant. Additionally, she and my father had to explain to me how rank insignias work on a uniform, which I’m glad they did before I finished the piece. Fun detail: Abertha here was a staff sergeant, E6, and they were shot 6 times. The name Abertha itself means sacrifice in Welsh, which relates to the aforementioned theme of the piece. My brother helped me carve the bullet holes. Originally, I made the holes a touch smaller and cleaner than they should’ve been; he helped me make them a bit bigger and more uneven.
Close up photos of Hollow Heart:
Hollow Heart finished:
In the end, the piece came out looking like this. I submitted the piece to the Monochromica journal mentioned earlier, but they haven’t gotten back to me yet. I’ll make an update to this post if and when they do. You can let me know what you think of the piece by leaving a comment or emailing me.
Thank you for reading this blog post.
From,
Kekoa Paki
Kekoa Paki Arts 
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