Susan Bahary’s artistic endeavors have endured decades and inspired countless individuals to marvel at both her sculpting work, along with the military themes from which they are derived.
The San Francisco-based artist, along with bipartisan lawmakers in Congress, are at the forefront of the United States’ first national monument honoring the contributions of service animals and their handlers—dating from the era of George Washington, all the way to the present. It’s also a broader tribute to military service members, law enforcement, search and rescue, first responders, disability assistance, and others that have endured and maintained that unique human-animal bond.
The project involves no public tax dollars. Instead, Bahary said it is a 100% philanthropic effort that could ultimately require $25 million for completion.
Efforts recently gained steam. On July 1, Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) introduced the National Service Animals Monument Location Act to authorize the monument’s placement on the National Mall Reserve, described by proponents as the nation’s most distinguished location for works of exceptional and enduring national importance.
Kiggans, co-chair of the Working Dog Caucus, thanked Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.), for his partnership and for helping bring this legislation to the forefront.
“I have the highest admiration for the animals that have faithfully served alongside our men and women in uniform,” Kiggans said in a statement. “From the horses that proved essential in military strategy to the nearly 6,000 canines that continue to play a role in drug interdiction and bomb detection, their roles have made our service members safe.”
The legislation is endorsed by the National Service Animals Monument, Paws for Purple Hearts, Canine Companions, America’s VetDogs, Guide Dog Foundation and US War Dogs Association.
An Artist and Her Appreciation
It’s been a long and creative road for Bahary since the 1980s, but her current career was preceded by other endeavors.
Formerly employed at CBS-TV in New York City and later owning her own retail business, she shifted her focus to the arts. By 1989, Bahary—a canine lover for decades—began sculpting and gain national and global notoriety. She is currently chair of the National Service Animals Monument and previously served on the executive board of Critter Lovers at Work in the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s also supported shelter animals.
In 1994, she was commissioned to do the United States’ first such war dog memorial, Always Faithful, situated at War Dog Cemetery on a U.S. naval base in Guam.
While she had distant relatives who served in the U.S. military, Bahary told Military.com that her sentiment towards the armed forces has always remained palpable.
“I’ve been very moved by those who serve, who do so much for the rest of us to keep us safe and free,” Bahary told Military.com. “That experience, having created that monument on Guam for the Greatest Generation, and the War Dog handlers really opened my mind and my heart to their service and sacrifice to that connection that they had to their last breath.”
Those feelings spread beyond just the military and across all law enforcement officials and first responders, she said, saying that individuals who “ask so little in terms of recognition” deserve it.
I feel that they had not really gotten it, so I try to do my part to bring awareness to their great deeds and sacrifices through my art.
America’s History and Animals
Bahary points out how animals have been with American’s since the nation’s origins.
George Washington, described historically as an expert equestrian, owned more than 130 horses—including two horses named Blueskin and Nelson that the United States’ first president rode during the Revolutionary War. They ultimately earned their proverbial stripes and lived out the remainder of their lives at Mount Vernon.
Service dogs have become more prevalent in recent decades as the tragic effects of war have become more nationally recognized, notably in the realm of mental health and broader conversations veterans are having about issues like post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I realized that we in America did not have a monument to do justice in the nation’s capital, to do justice to [animals’] service,” Bahary said. “They are part of America’s fabric in their history since its founding. … Our animals throughout our history have been remarkable, life-saving, life-changing, and have really helped direct the course of our country.”
Navigating Art, Politics and a Long Wait
Sculpting is a personal art form that Bahary has taken seriously for nearly 40 years. Simultaneously, it can take enormous effort in the political arena to turn art into life.
She thanked lawmakers like Kiggans and Davis for helping push these animal-related efforts forward, acknowledging how it’s “it’s the beauty” of the U.S. for one or two individuals to able to bring something forward that may be meaningful for generations.
However, it’s not lost upon her that such efforts can take time—sometimes more time than supporters would like. In the case of this memorial, Bahary said the process currently awaits the site selection process before delving into art design. That includes working with the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.
A conceptual design of the renderings, shown as the main image in this story, is part of the puzzle. But until the legislation and funding move forward, and a spot on the National Mall Reserve is actually chosen, Bahary puts a hold on her actual sculpting.
“I know certain things about it,” Bahary said. “We know the heart of it, we know that we want to inspire, and that we want it to be educational and honor [the military and animals]. We know that it will be powerful, and we want it to be interactive.”
That interactive nature is likely to include an app, in which individuals will be able to scan QR codes on artwork to learn a deeper history of the subject matter.
“We have to respect the process, and so we are in that process,” she added. “It takes patience, but it’s certainly worth it for the end result.”
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