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
Beautiful pieces. Not only that but I found them all very moving - packed with emotion. Very fine arts indeed.
ReplyDeleteI, too, love the diversity of the pieces. Very striking, all of them.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like "Red Beard Katscina" and "St. George and His Courageous Horse" (especially love the title of this one :-).