Mark Pinto is a retired Marine helicopter pilot, Gulf war veteran, and former Buddhist priest. In May 2014, he received his Masters of Fine Arts, Photography at San Jose State University. Mark creates work that serves to inform society of the many extended costs of war. His first exhibit was a digital photo project called “Joes Come Home”, utilizing GI Joe dolls in scenarios meant to bring the statistics of veteran reintegration to light. This project led him to create other war related projects, each one going deeper into the subject of war, and deeper into himself as well. Creating these projects has been both cathartic and at times personally treacherous, yet the motivation to create more projects burns strong, as each day brings more terrible statistics to light. Mark currently resides in the Portland Oregon area.