5 MINUTES WITH Robert LeHeup
Robert LeHeup has been a large figure in Columbia for years, most notably as a writer but much more. As a veteran, he’s used his experiences to spearhead the art venture “Bullets and Bandaids.” We talked about his commitment to encouraging veterans to tell their stories and more.
Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: After leaving the Marine Corps infantry in 2004, I moved to Columbia to go to the University of SC. A few months after that, I was brought into the Piensa! Art Company, which was both my introduction to the art scene and an opportunity to be a part of something larger than myself. In the time since I was first welcomed into the fold, I have proudly been a part of numerous art exhibitions and charity fundraisers, where we celebrated each others’ accomplishments while pushing our own methods of expression. It was a large family, filled with drama and intrigue, but mostly ending with a cathartic love for one another and a celebration of one another’s capacities. Because of this support, and because of the courage of local veterans, we have covered every major U.S. conflict since WWII, ranks from private up to two-star general.
Q: As a veteran and artist, how important is it to use your influence to create something like “Bullets and Bandaids?”
A: “Bullets and Bandaids” is fundamentally about sharing our human journey. In fact, it is made in such a way that if I were to fall off the face of the planet, someone else could take my place and continue without skipping much of a beat. Having said that, it took years of feeling like I was in limbo between veteran and artist (writer) before I realized the potential that was waiting there. Given my military history and the history I’d developed in the Columbia art area, I began the first project back in 2012 to raise money for a local nonprofit. But eventually I realized that if we were to reach the scope and breadth of our potential, we would need to be our own nonprofit organization.
Q: Tell us about your future exhibits.
A: The upcoming exhibits will be multimedia, as they had been in the past, but with concerted efforts to take it further. Previously we had pointillism, watercolors, oils, sculptures, photography, and more. Our next one will also hopefully feature some virtual reality artwork as well as recorded voiceovers of each story being told so that people can listen to them while looking at the corresponding artwork.
Q: For people interested in supporting your nonprofit, where can they go?
A: If you’re interested in supporting us, there are numerous ways. Of course, donating directly on the website is an option, but you can use Facebook Fundraising, buy our products in our online store, volunteer for events, or simply tell friends, family or local nonprofits who might be interested in either being a part of or supporting us to reach out. Any bit helps.
Q: How important is it for veterans to have a place to tell their stories?
A: “Bullets and Bandaids” acts as a medium to allow dialogue between veterans and those they want to know them. Be they parents, spouses, children, or friends, the disconnect that “B&B” represents allows these veterans to tell their stories unabashedly, proud in their current strength, regardless of what they’ve previously experienced. We have been told previously that some of these stories wouldn’t have been told at all were it not for “B&B.”
Preach Jacobs, special to GoColumbia