Local Arts

An Army vet’s passion for painting tells a deeper story about women in the military

By Vanessa Infanzon Arts Correspondent
This oil on canvas by Charlotte area artist Ida Mae Irby is titled “Traveling with PTSD.” Irby’s narrative paintings focus on women in the military. This one tells the story of a woman who suffered from PTSD. “The painting is a story about how she struggled to reintegrate into society,” Irby said. “You can visually see it is affecting her as she tries to fit in on a crowded city bus.”
This oil on canvas by Charlotte area artist Ida Mae Irby is titled “Traveling with PTSD.” Irby’s narrative paintings focus on women in the military. This one tells the story of a woman who suffered from PTSD. “The painting is a story about how she struggled to reintegrate into society,” Irby said. “You can visually see it is affecting her as she tries to fit in on a crowded city bus.” Courtesy of Ida Mae Irby

Charlotte-area artist Ida Mae Irby graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in art and $25,000 in debt. She joined the Army because there were few job opportunities available for her that paid more than minimum wage.

During tours in Afghanistan and Germany she served as a military photographer and staff writer, the liaison between her unit and local communities.

Irby, who rose to the rank of sergeant, left the Army in 2016 but her experience was never far from her mind — or her art. She began focusing her paintings on women in the military and their stories.

“My time as a photojournalist helped me to hone my skills as a writer, and I had a strong passion for storytelling,” said Irby, 37, who lives in Clover, S.C. “I work to tell the story of female veterans through my art. My inspiration has been artists such as Kadir Nelson and Norman Rockwell who both tell the story of American life through their art.”

Irby graduates this spring with a Master of Fine Arts from SCAD. Her thesis show, “History in Herstory,” is Feb. 23-28 at Sulfur Studios in Savannah, Ga. This series focuses on female empowerment in the military.

Charlotte area artist and Army veteran Ida Mae Irby graduates this spring with a Master of Fine Arts from SCAD. Her thesis show, “History in Herstory,” is Feb. 23-28 in Savannah, Ga. Irby’s narrative paintings tell stories of women in the military.
Charlotte area artist and Army veteran Ida Mae Irby graduates this spring with a Master of Fine Arts from SCAD. Her thesis show, “History in Herstory,” is Feb. 23-28 in Savannah, Ga. Irby’s narrative paintings tell stories of women in the military. Ryan Sumner

Female heroes

Rather than depict women in a cliched way, like some of Rockwell’s work, Irby said she shows female heroes of modern wars.

Women who appear in Irby’s work include Tammy Duckworth, a Purple Heart recipient and Iraq War veteran who became a U.S. senator, and Brenda E. Robinson, the first African-American female pilot in the U.S. Navy and founder of Aviation Camps of the Carolinas. Irby views these pieces as historical artifacts of present-day military heroes.

“I saw that I could make a difference creating my art and telling the story of women in the military,” Irby said. “Telling the history of women is my passion and this has been my focus.”

Ida Mae Irby’s ink on paper portrait of U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and the mother of two girls. “I wanted to show how a powerful woman can influence the gender roles of girls through the life she lives,” Irby said.
Ida Mae Irby’s ink on paper portrait of U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a retired Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and the mother of two girls. “I wanted to show how a powerful woman can influence the gender roles of girls through the life she lives,” Irby said. Courtesy of Ida Mae Irby

A military influence

Twenty of Irby’s works from “History in Herstory” were displayed last year for six months at Veterans Bridge Home in Charlotte, a nonprofit that advocates for veterans, connecting them to employment, human service resources and other veterans.

“We started exhibiting veteran art after Sonya Pfeiffer held a veteran’s exhibit (Vicarious) at the Elder Gallery in 2018,” said Steve Cole, vice president for advancement at Veterans Bridge. “Displaying their art was just our way of showing another side of veterans.”

The portraits and narrative paintings in the “History in Herstory” tell a deeper story about women in the military.

“There is one painting (“Traveling with PTSD”) of a woman on a bus who suffered from PTSD,” Irby said. “The painting is a story about how she struggled to reintegrate into society. You can visually see it is affecting her as she tries to fit in on a crowded city bus.”

Celebrating simple

An art teacher in Starkville, Miss., Andrew Lark, mentored Irby during her high school years. He noticed her interest in art and taught her the technical skills that led to a full scholarship to SCAD.

“I can attribute the success to my mentor,” Irby said. “I wouldn’t say I’ve always been good at drawing, but I had the proper mentorship from a very young age. The passion really did come from my own dedication to the process and my own dedication to seeing how far I can go with my art.

“Even today,” she added, “I continue to challenge myself to do things that are scary, that I’m not so sure about.”

Captain Shayne Lynne Haver was one of the first females to complete the U.S. Army Ranger training school. She did it in 2015. This watercolor by Ida Mae Irby depicts Haver during a training session at Fort Benning in Georgia. Irby said the abstract use of watercolor tells a story of bravery and strength.
Captain Shayne Lynne Haver was one of the first females to complete the U.S. Army Ranger training school. She did it in 2015. This watercolor by Ida Mae Irby depicts Haver during a training session at Fort Benning in Georgia. Irby said the abstract use of watercolor tells a story of bravery and strength. Courtesy of Ida Mae Irby

Irby moved to Clover in 2016 to be near her spouse’s military work in Greenville, S.C. and close enough to participate in Charlotte’s art scene.

She joined the Charlotte Art League, a nonprofit for artists, and rented studio space for a year until the pandemic, when she moved her work to a home studio. She taught painting classes through The Tipsy Paintbrush in Matthews from 2018 to 2020 and interned in 2019 at Charlotte’s UMAR Art Center, a nonprofit organization that supports people with intellectual disabilities.

This watercolor was inspired by Charlotte area artist Ida Mae Irby’s time living in Georgia, Charlotte and Mississippi. The images are reminiscent of her frequent visits to local farmer’s markets and the regionally grown foods she enjoyed.
This watercolor was inspired by Charlotte area artist Ida Mae Irby’s time living in Georgia, Charlotte and Mississippi. The images are reminiscent of her frequent visits to local farmer’s markets and the regionally grown foods she enjoyed. Courtesy of Ida Mae Irby

Before teaching a weekly drawing class at The Tipsy Paintbrush on Saturday mornings, Irby visited the nearby Matthews Community Farmers’ Market.

She’d photograph the fruits and vegetables and return to her studio to paint what she saw. The experience inspired her to add a farm life and recreational vehicle series to her repertoire. The drawings celebrate a simple lifestyle.

“I wanted to focus (that) work on living small and living off the grid and breaking away from society,” Irby said. “There’s not a huge disconnect between my studio work and the life that I live. I always try to implement the things that I see every day and the things that inspire me and give me a sense of joy.”

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