IGY6
YOLANDA JONES
IGY6 means “I Got Your Six” and the poem is dedicated to everyone who had my back and helped me heal. I think of art as my feelings, thoughts, and emotions on a canvas.
For this piece, I wanted to capture skateboarders in motion. I thought about abstract brilliant colors because that’s how I see them in my mind — just like vivid colors swimming by this way and that way.
Abstract art and splatter painting is, I think, one of the best forms of art because there’s no thought to it. It’s a mind dump of those jumbled thoughts that clutter your mind. You just let it out and it feels really really good. Especially when there are lots of stressors. It’s almost like a punching bag without the bag.
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
YOLANDA JONES
Savannah, Georgia
U.S. Army & Air Force Veteran
Yolanda served 17+ years across the Army active, as well as Army and Air Force National Guards. She returned to the U.S. with a serious neck injury after two tours in Iraq as a flight medic, but the daily physical pain led to a deeper and “invisible” mental pain.
Through Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), including Project Odyssey and the Warrior Care Network, she’s been liberated.
“They taught me how to love me. I learned what trust, self-love, and self-care really means. Art has become my happy place when I’m upset or feeling down. The life I have now where I’m happy and functional is due to hard work, dedication, using the tools WWP provided me and doing the work it takes, AND ART.”
MEET MORE WARRIORS
JEFF SCOTT
"Art is the most therapeutic thing I’ve found to express my thoughts and feelings. I’d be lost if not for art."
MARK ELLIS
“Art is a huge part of my life. It’s healing and meditative. It’s one of the few things that quiets my brain.”
LAURA BOZEMAN
“My military career depended on precision and attention to detail. When creating art, I can take risks and simply go with the flow.”
HARLEY MEAGLEY
“Art is kind of like going to the skatepark, but I don’t have to leave the house to leave my mind.”
MARCIA MEDINA
“Art helps me stay present — helping me block out intrusive thoughts and put my focus solely on creating art.”
BILL JONES
“Art is a representation of one’s well-being. It’s what made me unique, and everyone brings their own unique perspective to art.”
DANIEL WRIGHT JR.
“If you don’t wanna talk about it, guess what? You can draw about it. And that’s what I use art therapy for.”
PUERTO RICO PSG
“Art is a great provider of peace. It helps us think in new ways to expand our understanding and create room for connection, camaraderie, and healing.”
ANGIE LUPE
“Music and art have always been my life. It helps me heal and I’ve made it my mission to help other comrades heal.”
YOLANDA JONES
“Art is an entire experience. It's not always about what I wanted you to feel. Sometimes it's about what it makes you feel on your own.”
MELISSA MCMAHON
“Art helps me let go and accept things, even when I make mistakes. It’s learning to roll with life because there are so many things I can’t control.”
