Dawn Cerny

What role does research play in her work?

If personal experience can be considered research, I think that Dawn's work is chalk full of it. Her wide range of experiences and influences are evident in her work. The things that she did growing up (listening to the bible on tape, jigsaw puzzles) have acted as their own research.

I had a difficult time during her presentation because some of her work hit pretty close to home for me having been in the Marine Corps for five years, and having deployed to Iraq twice. It is something that I am working on, but I have a hard time believing that anyone has a right to touch on such a delicate subject without having first hand experience. I am sure that there is an element of fear involved for Dawn, since it is so personal for her with her brother deployed, but it didn't sit well with me. From that perspective, I found the lack of research evident. I don't think it made her work ineffective, but I it definitely seemed more personal than she ever said it was. Honestly, I'm still wrestling with the emotions I got from her work.