Ever since my drawing class in high school in which I created a self-portrait I have had a love and appreciation for creating art. After high school I was undecided on many accounts on what to pursue for my future. Several of my friends were going to college and several joined a military branch. I felt young and not focused on my future educational endeavors at that time. So, I chose to serve our country in the U.S. Army and chose to be a Military Policeman as well. I proudly served two-one year tours to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in which I did MSR (Main Supply Route) Security, Area Security, Prisoner Security, VIP Security, etc. during my two tours. Unfortunately war doesn’t come without sacrifice as we lost a fellow female soldier Rachel K. Bosveld there in Iraq from shrapnel from a mortar. A dear friend to me also passed when he went on leave shortly after our first tour. George J. Elias was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident when he went to Pennsylvania to visit his family on leave.

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            War definitely leaves wounds that are seen by loss, injury, and death, but many soldiers experience wounds that really aren’t visible unless you are part of that soldier’s life. Another close friend who was in my platoon Zachary Bowen, who ended up murdering his wife and taking his own life due to his PTSD and struggle after being separated from the military. I can empathize with Bowen’s struggle as I personally have PTSD. I am currently a disabled veteran, an artist, a husband, and a father. I had my own encounters with my own demons from war in 2010 a few years after separating from Active Duty.

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            When I was in the military I couldn’t stop getting custom tattoos and even drawing them up myself. I wasn’t always the most proactive patrolman as I would do what was necessary and then just draw tattoos on my shift for myself and other fellow veterans. I realized at this point that I was not going to have a lifelong future in the military and I left Active Duty.

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            Art has always been a passion of mine. Shortly after Active Duty being the fall of 2007 I started college at Ivy Tech Community College in Columbus, Indiana. I achieved my Associate’s in Visual Communication’s with an emphasis on Graphic Design in August of 2011. I then transferred my credits firstly to IUPUI Media Arts and Sciences with the major of animation. I realized that I loved animation, but needed to focus more on the art side of things with drawing, painting, etc. traditionally and digitally. I decided to change my major to Drawing & Illustration at Herron School of Art and Design.

            My focus in art is on several topics including: war, steampunk, horror, and oppression. The mediums I work in are: grisaille, watercolor, digital, graphite, chalk pastel, pen and ink, encaustic, buon fresco, egg tempera, etc. My art is however not limited to any one medium or medium’s. I work from my home art/office studio in Franklin, Indiana.

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            My current work is on the first issue of my own comic entitled Opptakon and being mentored by Matt Powers an instructor at Media Arts and Sciences. I also have been working on drawings for a current drawing class with Earl Snellenberger, which requires several final drawings that I am finishing up currently. I have tailored several pieces from Earl’s course to be horror/fan/concept art for my portfolio. I plan to craft a story portfolio and a horror portfolio over time. I also plan to craft Opptakon into a series of feature length animated films.

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            I am constantly inspired by a changing world. Real life human struggle. The horror/s in life. I also am very interested in the beautiful and unique. I have a keen appreciation for nature and the fantastical. I hold my own beliefs and feel that everyone is entitled to her/his own beliefs. I do believe in peace, but realize that war does become necessary when evil and hatred are allowed to manifest. I create art to help the world, to understand my nature, and to communicate to others to change hearts and minds.

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Brandon M. Hardin ­­  

bmhdd@yahoo.com

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Prints: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BMHDD