Brewtifully Made
Here, Tracy Dawn Brewer shares creative insights, discussions with creative souls who are invited to doodle along with her and share their creative processes, and more.
Adding a twist, each episode begins with a doodle prompt and you can catch the final pieces from the episode on her YouTube channel, linked on the website! If you choose to also create along with her during an episode, share your work with the hashtag #brewtifullymade so she can shout out YOUR awesome creativity too!
Brewtifully Made
From Battlefield to Art: A Veteran's Creative Journey
Creativity becomes a powerful healing journey in this intimate conversation with Bryan, a retired Air Force Master Sergeant whose miniature dioramas transform military experiences into art. After 22 years of service, nine deployments, and multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bryan discovered that crafting detailed miniature scenes offered both creative fulfillment and therapeutic relief from PTSD.
What began as a way to honor Medal of Honor recipients he personally met evolved into a passionate artistic practice. Bryan shares the meticulous process behind his creations—from scratch-building his early works to embracing 3D printing technology, while maintaining his commitment to authentic details in uniforms, equipment, and environments. Each model tells a specific story, whether commemorating fallen comrades, recreating battlefield moments, or playfully transforming their French bulldog into "Boba Thor."
Tracy, both podcast host and Bryan's wife, offers unique insights into how this artistic outlet has helped him process military experiences and emerge from his shell. The exhibition at Brewtifully showcases not just his 22 models and selection of bonsai trees, but also represents the healing power of creative expression for veterans.
For those inspired by Bryan's journey, he's teaching a model painting workshop on September 29th and welcomes commission requests. Don't miss viewing his remarkable work in person or through the YouTube slideshow—each piece bridges military experience with artistic expression in profoundly moving ways.
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Welcome back to Brutally Made. I am very excited to have my husband, brian. He is our September Exhibiting Artist of the Month, so welcome to the podcast, hon, thank you. I wanted to be able to share his work with everyone and I really appreciate that he agreed to do this, and I would love for him to share a little bit about his really military history and what he has shared miniature-wise in all of the display, and I will be sharing pictures on the YouTube channel of some of the pieces that he's going to discuss. So dear, please talk about your military service in the.
Speaker 2:Air.
Speaker 1:Force.
Speaker 2:I am a retired Master Sergeant, did 22 years in the Air Force active duty. I had nine deployments during that time, spent two separate one-year remote tours in Korea, 14 years apart, and after I retired couldn't find a job anywhere. The only job I found was with Naval Star Defense. Went right back to Iraq. I've been to Iraq three times and Afghanistan once and multiple other deployments. I deployed with the Army five times but after I retired I got a job with Naval Star Defense as an instructor and field support rep for the MAX program in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Speaker 1:Yes, and a lot of the pieces that you will see on display and we're actually having a reception this week for him are those vehicles, because you really know them inside and out, and so let's talk a little bit about, really, the very first miniature diorama I don't really know a better word to put it. What made you make it?
Speaker 2:Oh, that was after we met. I think it was 2014. We met Master Sergeant Leroy Petrie. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan in 2008. He ended up losing his right hand during that battle. But after meeting him, I just started making models. I made it I wanted to make. We've met 14 Medal of Honor recipients and I'm trying to make a little diorama of each one that we've met, the ones that are still living with us.
Speaker 1:Yes, and how long did that actual? I mean you crafted everything from the building because it was based on a piece of art.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was all. Yeah, I took a painting from James Dietz. It was a painting he did of Leroy Wynn. That battle was going on and I made the model look like that painting. But that one took a while because I made the ground, ground effects, the buildings all by hand. And then that was before I had my 3D printers. So I was buying different model kits, trying to find each little piece that I needed. That's why it took forever.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you were taking things apart and reassembling and building really yeah from scratch. And then I did. I gifted you a 3D printer for Valentine's Day a few years ago.
Speaker 2:Now I make my own parts.
Speaker 1:It's a lot cheaper it is, but I think you get a lot of satisfaction from getting the pieces and parts that you need and building the look that you want. Yeah, I do. How long do you feel like it takes you to paint all the details?
Speaker 2:Oh, that's the and that's what takes the longest, because I try to make the uniforms look like they should like the real uniforms, all the kits and everything. Yeah, not just the uniforms you actually like.
Speaker 1:Yeah, their faces yeah their faces, their tattoos, their hair. You've done one with resin that looks like water. That's phenomenal.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, there were two of them out there now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and really no one taught you how to do any of this.
Speaker 2:you just really dived into it and well, taught yourself we opened the the store brutally last august 2024 and tracy's working long hours, so I'm sitting at home with the dogs. The grass is cut, the dogs are fed new kids, like I'm watching a movie, making a model. So I ended up with 22 models and 18 bonsai trees. I got to stop.
Speaker 1:No, you don't. I think that it's really good for your PTSD. It is yes.
Speaker 2:I think that it's a good hobby for you. I concentrate on the model until it's done. It's like I need another one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you're starting to rebuild friends. I mean, you've done memorial ones, you've got family members you've done. Memorial shadow boxes for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I got my uncles. I made a little soldier that looks like my uncle who was killed in World War II in France. I made a shadow box with his ribbons and stripes and stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just love how you're combining art with these pieces that have so much meaning. You know it's resonating with a lot of people. I think that they're connecting and feeling.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, Most people haven't even seen these. You make models. You have bonsai trees. Yeah, come to the shop tomorrow night.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's true, and you've incorporated some of the models into the bonsai displays too, so those are really cool too.
Speaker 2:Like one girl at work I think it was Marissa she goes. I didn't even know you were in the military.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, yeah, some outlets you know you find to discuss those things different ways. So this is a good way for you to bring up those conversations.
Speaker 2:It is, and I like to make the MRAPs. I make the little small ones, I send them to my buddies from the military. We all used to work on them, yeah yeah, and we're having a class. Oh yeah, september 29th, you are going to show Showing you how to paint them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which I think is phenomenal.
Speaker 2:Make them look realistic I.
Speaker 1:That's a huge transition. Brian and I have known each other since we have been 12 years old and he was one of the shyest guys I ever knew and I talk way more for both of us. But he has really come out of his shell. Get to discuss things with him, that has really got his heart. It's phenomenal to hear you know how passionate he is about it.
Speaker 2:And then each. I think. I think there's 20 models out there. Each model has a story to it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and some are from film, some of them are.
Speaker 2:you have a lighthearted side A lot of them are people that we've met or stuff that I've done.
Speaker 1:And you take commissions. You've taken requests and you like having that, I think, as a challenge and working on your skills to do 3D modeling. So you did get an upgraded printer. A nice one. A nice one, yes, so that's been great for you to experiment with.
Speaker 2:After I printed them, I'd take them off the plate and I'd have to spray them with alcohol and then clean them that way and use her fingernail UV light, fingernail polish UV light to cure it. But now I have all that in one station.
Speaker 1:So it's a lot quicker. It is a lot quicker and you're doing a beautiful job and I'm really really proud of You're welcome. Is there anything that you would like to build that you haven't tackled yet? That is something that's been on your mind, because I know you've got a few more Medal of Honor recipients to do. But is there something else? Another movie, I mean. He's printed our dogs, he's repainted figures of us.
Speaker 2:I have Boba Thor yeah.
Speaker 1:Our French bulldog turned into baba fett we have a french bulldog.
Speaker 2:My favorite character from star wars is baba fett. So I took thor's head and put on baba fett's body, and that's the biggest um thing out there, yeah, the biggest model out there. That's true, and tracy made it well. Tracy made a painting from years ago for my birthday. I think it was. Yeah, it was the same picture thor's head on bob fett's body. It's like I can make a model of that you did too.
Speaker 1:It did turn out good. It's really cool. But any any other projects or movies or any other scenarios that you want to tackle or showcase anything through work. You know you, you are still a mechanic.
Speaker 2:I was trying to think of other other military ones to do, because those are my favorite ones to do, but yeah I can't think of any he even has an action figure that he rebuilt.
Speaker 1:Um, we had the head 3d printed before we ever had 3d printing, and it's him and the detail in all of the pieces.
Speaker 2:He spent so long. It took me two years to find all the pieces, because every piece on that action figure. It's not a doll, it matches what I had on my kit when we were doing convoys throughout Iraq.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But it took two years to find all that stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's pretty phenomenal.
Speaker 2:But I bought like a $10 GI Joe body, ripped the head off and stuck my head on it and then flight suit and all the gear.
Speaker 1:Yep, you can see how we roll around here to make things work. But yeah, I just wanted to. You know, I love having this outlet for you and me. I think it's really important and it just reiterates the importance of having a creative space so you can do mindful things like this, and I think that this is a really strong show and it's beautiful. You really did a beautiful job.
Speaker 2:I'm better than I was expecting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's a beautiful wooden flag that he built and it's on the wall as well. And just, we're really excited about the reception. I can't wait to share pictures of that.
Speaker 2:Five bonsai trees.
Speaker 1:Yeah, out of I don't know how many we have at home he brought a few 18.
Speaker 2:I even have one of the models has. I needed a tree for it and one of my bonsai trees died this year, so I kept the trunk and just put the trunk in there. Yeah, it looks like a tree it.
Speaker 1:It's really good, it really is good. So, and then we have a series of shirts that are available. Uh, I designed an mrap ohio shirt that he wears and so I made a bunch of those so people can purchase those. And, uh, yeah, just share in different ways that you know you can be creative and, you know, make a little money doing it, because you do have some pieces that are for sale. And, um, taking commissions and um, yeah, I just love watching you work and doing things that you love, so I'm really proud of you, thank you. So, uh, if you want to, um, ask for a commission, please just uh, send a message or email, let me know and I'll get in touch with Bri. And, yeah, just excited to have him on the podcast too, because I don't think you've ever really even been on talking or anything. So it's great that he's here with me and such a huge support, because this is just a big endeavor and we're working through all kinds of stuff right now and he's been just by my side 110%, so I love you.
Speaker 2:I love you.
Speaker 1:All right, stay Brutally, bade. I hope that you enjoy the slideshow on YouTube, so check that out and check out the social media pages that you can see at work, and I will talk to you next time. Take care, bye.
