In times of tragedy, many methods can be used to try to make sense of the senseless.
Jeff Green, a sophomore graphic design major at VCU, used his artistic talent as a way to help himself and others cope with the events at Virginia Tech.
“I realized how effective it can be to do something simple,” Green said. “It emphasized the fact that you can make a powerful image out of something small.”
Green, 22, drew a simple yet emotional sketch of a ram embracing the Hokie bird, with text at the bottom reading: “Hokies, we are here for you. -Your friends at VCU.” Green perfectly portrays sadness and shock in the eyes of the two animals.
“I look at the eyes and see how I think we all feel,” Green said.
Green did the sketch last Monday after feeling like he didn’t know how else to express his emotions.
“It was that day, we were chilling in Piccola’s and getting depressed,” Green said. “You don’t really take it all in. We were just shocked and experiencing waves of emotion.”
He said he was thinking: “What can I do?” He had just done some hand-drawings for a recycling poster he made for a class. So he decided to try his hand at drawing.
Green said he looked at the Hokie bird online, and then thought of VCU’s ram. He said there aren’t many images of the VCU ram except for Rodney, the sports team mascot, but that didn’t hinder his creation.
“Everything clicked really quick – I did it in two sketches. Then I put lettering on it and stuck it on my Facebook,” Green said.
Worried at first that maybe the drawing needed to be perfect, Green said he decided it was his drawing, and he wasn’t going to care what other people thought of it. But people did like it. Many VCU students have changed their Facebook profile picture to the drawing.
“At least 50 people have used it that I know of,” Green said.
Although the image is his own creation, he said, he chose not to put his name on it. He is happy that it is helping people and that he’s receiving recognition.
“If it helps them, that’s the best thing for me,” Green said. “People that don’t even go here feel with it.”
Some people have asked for his permission to use it on Facebook, but most people haven’t. Green is just happy that people can identify with the piece.
“I don’t know how to help any other way. I can’t fix anything,” Green said.
He said he didn’t know any of the victims, but one of them was from his hometown, Glen Allen. He knows at least 30 people who attend Virginia Tech as well as many people whose children are students there.
“I can’t even imagine how I’d feel if I knew someone who was a victim,” Green said.
Art is a good way to express things, he said, and the experience has inspired him creatively. He now realizes how powerful a simple image can be.