For the last several years I have made it a practice to visit the Tahoma VA National Cemetery over the Memorial Day weekend to do a sketch and meditate on the sacrifice commemorated there.
I also leave flowers at the grave of the first soldier killed in Afghanistan. I make a visit to the grave of a soldier whose mother contacted me a few years ago after I posted a sketch of his headstone. I take a photo and send it to his parents so they can see the flowers that they've arranged to be placed there. And then I leave flowers at the grave of a Civil War veteran.
After having done this for so many years there's not much new to sketch. This year I learned of the Unforgotten, Run to Tahoma. A large group of veterans on motorcycles escorted the remains of three unclaimed veterans from Kitsap County. I did four vignettes sketches on a small sketchbook page. There were over 100 riders escorting the deceased. It was raining slightly so I protected my page and didn't add color there. At home I also collaged the insignia of the sponsoring organizations.
Remember the real purpose of Memorial Day.
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