HOW A MARINE MADE THE JOURNEY TO FINE ARTIST
“My fifth year in the Marines, I started painting in the barracks — I knew it was time to make a shift.”
Kevin, BFA Parsons ‘24 — U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
Photography by Alejandro, MFA Parsons ‘24 & U.S. Army Green Beret
Marine and fine artist Kevin is an example of professional transformation. He went from aimless teenager to U.S. Marine and now graduate of The New School’s Parsons School of Design. We were able to sit down with Sparkowich— and capture some photos of his thesis project — to discuss his journey and how all of who he once was has molded him into the artist he is today.
BREAST POCKETS ( ——- ), 2024.
How did being a U.S. Marine set you on a path to becoming an artist?
I grew up in Maine and became a Marine at 17. It was the best option available to me at the time. I hated high school and did terribly. I couldn't get myself interested in anything even though I loved learning. I didn't have the money for college and I wasn’t willing to go into debt. I thought school was not for me, so I joined the military thinking I’d serve 20 years. But inevitably, I became disillusioned.
I think it was my fifth year — my last in the Marines, I started painting in the barracks quite a bit. And during a workup for a deployment on most of my patrols, I’d be racking my brain about what I would paint next. When I got back to my room, that's where my head was, and I knew it was time for me to make a shift. During inspections, I’d have paint all over and find myself in a little bit of trouble, but I made it work. A lot of fellow Marines were excited about my art, which was unexpected for me.
I got out following a deployment and had a gap of almost a year between getting applications into art schools. There’s a stigma across the military about pursuing an arts education that I had to free myself from. I would have made the shift sooner if I hadn’t listened to folks who told me that it was a really dumb idea. It was nerve-wracking to tell military folks that I wanted to study art. But, my platoon and closest circle of friends were pumped and very encouraging.
THE BALL ( —— ), 2024.
WELCOME HOME ( —— ), 2024.
How has The New School helped develop you as an artist?
On a personal level, The New School helped me ground the work I create in historical, theoretical and cultural contexts. It’s given me a new take on art. I had no conceptual development and now, after four years, I've developed strongly through a pretty rigorous process of critique. It’s a unique experience to have talented artists respond to my work, telling me what I’m doing right and what I could do better — critiques get me excited and help push me as an artist.
“The world benefits from having veterans in the room giving our ideas and offering our viewpoints — art is one way to do just that.”
UNTITLED, 2024.
UNTITLED, 2024
What would you tell a veteran who hasn't found their inner artist?
It takes a lot of initiative to be an artist. Initiative is important to folks in the military because oftentimes, there is no autonomy. You put in your time — you're in, you're out. The work ethic that you develop in the uniform translates to the largely self-directed path an artist must take. A lot is up to you and I think service members are pretty apt to be in a situation like that. There's an advantage to spending a chunk of time making things happen for yourself and problem-solving. Those characteristics are second nature to veterans.
It's important for veterans to put their work out into the world, partly because it's uncommon. Our voices aren't often heard. There are a lot of assumptions about the military and those who serve that are wrong, and only veterans can really attest to that. There's a misconception that veterans all think and believe the same in things and experience the same reality.
Transitioning out of the military can be lonely. When I transitioned, I wanted to know that I wasn't the only one. I loved being a Marine. I still miss it. I miss it all the time. Even if you're surrounded by family and loved ones, it's much different not having all the usual buddies by your side, day in and day out. On top of that, pursuing an unconventional interest seriously can be lonely, too. But, if you're truly drawn to something you feel called to pursue, you're not alone and you can do it. You can make it work.
A classmate recently had a studio visit and a parent came in and saw the work I was making. They said that success can be measured by the array of different experiences somebody has in life. As a Marine who thought they’d stay in a long, long time, I chose to exercise a different part of me. And that's what I'm doing here at the New School.
EIDOLA, 2024.
All pieces shown are part of Kevin’s thesis project titled, ‘eidolon’ — (singular of ‘eidola’) stems from the Greek ‘εἴδωλον,’ symbolizing a specter or ideal. It signifies two contrasting elements: one an insubstantial image, a phantom; the other, an idealized entity. Each body of work finds itself at the crux of these dual meanings. To learn more about Kevin’s work, visit: www.kevinsparkowich.com