Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rebecca Waechter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rebecca, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I worked on was painting a guitar for Operation Art Strings and Guitars for Vets. Operation Art Strings collects donated guitars, sends them to artists to decoratively paint, and then auctions them off. The funds support Guitars for Vets. Guitars for Vets is a non-profit organization that provides military veterans with 10 free guitar lessons, a new acoustic guitar, and the opportunity to join a community of similar individuals. They refer to it as “A guitar instruction program aimed at providing Veterans struggling with physical injuries, PTSD, and other emotional distress a unique therapeutic alternative.” As a former counseling intern in the mental health field, I saw the need and value for this organization in the veteran community.
I painted a guitar to honor the military members that served in the final evacuation of the US military from Afghanistan. I specifically chose to represent the C-17 pilots. Some of the most notable video footage from our final days in Kabul involve the C-17 pilots making decisions they never imagined. When the US left Afghanistan, many veterans that served in Afghanistan questioned if their work was in vain. I wanted to show all those men and women that their efforts likely affected others in ways they may never know. This guitar was a shining example.

The painted guitar went on a journey, blessing and connecting people along the way. Operation Art Strings originally shipped the guitar to me from Wisconsin. Shortly after, I realized that a local branch of Guitars for Vets existed in Viera, FL less than 10 minutes from where I lived! I met with the head of the Viera branch and discovered they had an urgent need for volunteer instructors and an additional teaching location. After the guitar was painted, Florida Today, a local newspaper, picked up the story. As a result, Guitars for Vets in Viera received new equipment and new volunteers.

The guitar’s journey was not finished! I mailed the painted guitar back to Wisconsin. A branch of Guitars for Vets in Butler, PA requested the guitar be sent to them so it could be raffled off, subsequently generating funds for their branch. The guitar, now privately owned, likely continues to share its story.

As the spouse of an active-duty Air Force C-17 pilot, Army brat, member of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and mental health advocate, this project was incredibly meaningful to me. The entire project embodied how I like to use artwork as another form of communication and be a positive force in the lives of veterans and individuals with mental illness. I look forward to creating another guitar and sending it on a similar journey in the near future!

Rebecca, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an active-duty Air Force spouse with a B.A. in Art: Painting & Drawing and an M.A. in Professional Counseling. This is the foundation for what I do! I love creating artwork for military and civilian pilots but also using the voice of art to address mental illness. Both topics are important to me.

I am a nationally and internationally sold artist. My work was most notably featured in the credits of the fan art episode of the hit FOX animation series Bob’s Burgers. I also currently have a piece of artwork and a few prints on the International Space Station. They arrived via the SpaceX Crew-4 on the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule.

Rebecca Waechter Art was a blessing born from a painful situation. As a new active duty Air Force spouse I had my degree in Professional Counseling and was poised to start a career as a therapist. Since active duty military families move every few years it is virtually impossible to gain the license required to practice counseling. I spent a lot of time advocating for licensure reciprocity between states and trying to bring awareness to this issue. Caught in a loophole that could not be escaped, I decided to start a small online art business that could travel with me each time I relocated. I now combine my love for the mental health field with my experiences as a pilot’s wife in the artwork I create.

In my aviation art, I am most known for trying to convince people that sectional charts (aviation maps) might be utilitarian but they are very much artwork to be displayed and admired. In my mental diagnosis artwork, I am trying to accomplish several things. Each piece of mental diagnosis artwork has been meticulously created from conception to execution. Every detail in each piece holds meaning. My goal is to foster awareness and a continuous dialogue between the artist and viewer about important and lesser-known qualities of various mental disorders. I believe that most people in society are more alike than different. My artwork seeks to create an environment of curiosity, learning, and common, relatable ground between those with and without mental disorders.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when someone connects with me and my artwork. They are essentially one and the same. I feel that mental illness can be isolating and confusing. Connection is widespread in our digital world but likely more superficial and easily discarded. Lately, we’re taking a magnifying glass to our differences without acknowledging our vast similarities. I like it when my work creates curiosity, subsequent realization, and a deep connection with the viewer.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

Speaking of our digital world… NFTs! Art has the unique ability to cross language barriers and stay timeless while continuing to evolve and expand over time. NFT’s are not for me, but I say bring it on! Whether classical, modern art or a banana duct taped to a wall there will be buyers and artists of all kinds. There will also be plenty of people who criticize and claim, “That’s not art!”. We’re always bending and breaking that definition. I think artists have proven that it’s more of a personal definition than a global one. I can’t wait to see what AI continues to bring to the art world as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rebeccawaechterart.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rebeccawaechterart www.instagram.com/rebeccawaechterartannex
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/rebeccawaechterart www.facebook.com/rebeccawaechterartannex
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-waechter-art