The site says: "Now in its 29th year, the Festival showcases more than 120 Veterans selected from VA medical facilities across the Nation. With more than 3,000 Veterans vying for a spot in this exclusive event, only the finest performers and artists will display their talents at the annual week-long program."
I like that the festival is so wide-ranging. They say that the "competition includes 53 categories in the visual arts division this year that range from oil painting to leatherwork to paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are 123 categories in the performing arts pertaining to all aspects of music, dance, drama and creative writing." That's a lot of categories! I'm glad they offer so many opportunities for self-expression. Each of the pieces below won for its category.
We're All Connected (jewelry)
by George Willis
VA (Veterans Administration) San Diego
Two-Piece Carved Asian Vessel (pottery)
by Teresa Deible
VA Bedford, Mass.
St. George and His Courageous Horse (metalwork)
by Bill Seymour
Southern Arizona VA
Green Faces/Purple Heart (Military Combat Experience: Best of Show)
by James Lykins
West Virginia VA
Red Beard Katscina (digital art)
by Filmer Kewanyama
Northern Arizona VA
Mission Complete (color photography)
Quentin Miles
Washington, D.C. VA
Links:
* The National Veterans Art Museum and an article about it. (Grab a tissue) Here's another article from 2007. You can even request a travelling exhibit.
* The Vet Art Project USA
* Veterans art program article
* The Combat Paper Project: From uniform to pulp/Battlefield to workshop/Warrior to artist
* The Odysseus Project
* The War Experience Project
* An upcoming veterans' art show in New Mexico
* Another Post article -- this one discusses how art therapists were cut from veteran and military hospitals.
* Historical war-art links
2 comments:
Beautiful pieces. Not only that but I found them all very moving - packed with emotion. Very fine arts indeed.
I, too, love the diversity of the pieces. Very striking, all of them.
I particularly like "Red Beard Katscina" and "St. George and His Courageous Horse" (especially love the title of this one :-).
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