A Work Of Heart
(March 11, 2011) |
|
|
| FORT HOOD, Texas (Mar. 7, 2011) – “I've been an artist all
my life,” said Spc. Macaulay. “My earliest memory was
drawing things in middle school to try to impress girls, I
tried to set myself apart from the crowd,” he added with a
slight chuckle. |
Spc. Scott Macaulay is not your typical soldier,
not only is he a forward observer with 2nd
Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, he is also a
talented artist.
Macaulay's artistic
history can be traced back to his great
grandfather, who was a freelance illustrator.
Receiving an art scholarship after graduating
high school, Macaulay attended Maine School of
Art. There he worked two years toward a
bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, but he wanted to
do more. He wanted to see the world.
“I
wanted to see as much and experience as much as
I could, especially as an artist, I take in
everything that I see. I just can't get enough,”
said Macaulay. |
|
Spc. Scott Macaulay, from Boston, poses by his paintings, Feb. 25,
2011. Macaulay has been painting murals and signs throughout the brigade since his enlistment in 2009. |
|
So he went and did just that, he traveled the world. He
traveled to California, Washington State, back to the east
coast and ended his journey in England, where he spent a
year and a half.
After England, Macaulay returned to
California in 2008 and enlisted into the United States Army.
“I just thought to myself, ‘I haven't seen anyone
from an artist perspective actually be in the military,'”
said Macaulay. “One of my goals entering the Army was to
broaden myself as an artist. It was something I never seen
any other artist do; in addition to serving my country I
have a sense of duty that I have to fulfill.”
Macaulay deployed with 2/8 Cav in 2009 to Iraq.
“When we deployed and I saw the concrete barriers in Camp
Buehring, Kuwait, I knew what I was going to be doing,”
Macaulay said with a devious smile.
He would sketch
hundreds of drawings and paint dozens of murals on a range
of canvases that ranged from your everyday sketch book to
slabs of wood and barriers.
Out of all of the
sketches, murals, paintings, and signs he's painted,
Macaulay is most prideful of one. It's a mural he painted on
a barrier in Camp Buehring, Kuwait while he was deployed.
“I'm very proud of that barrier. I painted that it with
three colors, one paintbrush and one Kuwaiti sandstorm!”
humored Macaulay. “I can now say that I can paint anything,
anywhere, and anytime.”
The painted barrier
represented the battalion's presence at Camp Buehring. It
illustrates a cavalry scout riding on a black stallion while
carrying the battalion's guidon. Behind the scout are
Bradleys emerging from a trail of sand.
“That's part
of the challenge as being an artist, being resourceful and
just saying yes to something and making it happen. It's like
the Army way of things; find a way to get it done. I already
had those properties as an artist.”
Macaulay
gathered paints wherever he could get a hold of them.
“You had to try to beg, borrow and steal for paint,”
said Macaulay with a laugh. “I often had to do a big
artistic no-no and mix water and oil paints, oils and
acrylics,” he said. “But your average supply guy isn't
tracking the difference between oils and acrylic paints.”
When Macaulay wasn't able to gather up painting
supplies, he would paint using a digital pen and a computer
software program. The program allowed him to digitally paint
a picture on his computer. With the use of a digital pen,
his artwork stayed true to his way of painting. The pen
mimicked his movement onto the computer screen.
Two
of Macaulay's paintings, “A good day” and “Another mission”
were enlarged and distributed throughout the 1st Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division as artwork. The paintings
depict the typical days of a soldier deployed.
However, one day Macaulay hopes to make his biggest
contribution to the Army and paint a mural for the Fort
Hood, 1st Cavalry Division Museum.
“I'm somewhat
inspired coming into the Cavalry; I really like the
symbolism and history of the 1st Cavalry. I've been called
upon to express that in my paintings, the espirit de corps,”
said Macaulay. “I found that the reaction from the soldiers
around me meant more. I've gotten many compliments on my
artwork but to see that my artwork was having a positive
effect on soldiers and making them stop and say ‘It's cool
to be in the Cav because of my artwork”, it's then that I
feel I've succeeded. I wanted to broaden my horizons coming
into the Army as an artist, but I never imagined I be doing
art work in the Army.”'
“Macaulay has done art for
plenty of soldiers in all ranks. He's done artwork for
Pfc.'s up to first sergeant's, he doesn't always target the
higher ups, he paints for everyone,” said Peter Nicholson,
Macaulay's former squad leader, while he was deployed.
Macaulay's artwork and contribution will last long after
he leaves the military; he plans to publish a book of all
the sketches and paintings he completed while he was
deployed. For Macaulay, it's his way of giving back to the
soldiers.
“I never thought I be so lucky to leave my
mark in this way. To be in the Army and celebrate the
history of the Army and cavalry, but also be a part of it,”
concluded Macaulay. “I hope I've contributed to the Army.” |
Article and photo by Army Sgt. Christine Rosa
1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
Copyright 2011 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
Comment on this article |
|
