Local artists pay tribute to the everyday soldier

When Bonnie Chisling began sculpting the bust of a young man, she had no idea how significant it would become. In her words, what became of the piece was “bashert,” a Yiddish word meaning “meant to be.”

The piece was born during a sculpting session when a group of artists were sculpting busts of a young man. One artist suggested that they make the busts into soldiers, and while others began to pick from the military branches, Chisling explored a different path.

“I’m coming from a background where I absolutely hate war and I don’t like violence, but I’ve always felt it was important to honor those who were in the field,” Chisling said. “And no one has ever honored the everyday soldier. The guy who’s in combat and out there every single day, doing the grunge work.”

But when Chisling met veteran Russ Carthy on the golf course at the Longboat Key Club, she knew her sculpture, “Tribute to the Everyday Soldier,” was meant to be a collaboration.

The two began discussing Chisling’s piece and, feeling inspired, Carthy wrote a poem to complement it.
“In my mind, it was about the soldiers of today who are putting down their briefcases and leaving their families to go to war,” Carthy said. “I think it’s rough because these soldiers are transient. Back and forth three or four times, and that’s probably the toughest kind of life.”

The completed work was featured in the recent Community Juried Exhibition at the Longboat Key Center for the Arts, a Division of Ringling College of Art & Design, but is now looking for a new home.

Chisling reached out to Gene Sweeney, founder of Salt of the Earth and co-founder of the Liberator Foundation, to find the best place for the sculpture. It will stay in Florida, but Sweeney is still unsure of exactly where it will be on display.

“There are a couple of locations that I’m talking to at this point,” said Sweeney. “We’re talking to some folks in Tampa and in Venice, as well as right here in Sarasota-Manatee.”

Said Chisling: “The sculpture was never really mine. I always wanted it to be donated.”