Category Archives: Events

Our Events: Past and Present

Women Veterans Group in New York City

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Women Veterans 

FINDING YOUR ARTISTIC TALENT IN THE COMPANY OF OTHER WOMEN VETERANS

Please  join the School of Visual Arts (SVA) and Art Therapy Outreach Center (ATOC) for a FREE on-going 5 week creative arts class for women veterans. Starting 13 April 2011, classes will take place on Wednesday evenings from 6-7:30pm.

This class will create a supportive space for women veterans to explore art as a form of creative expression.

No experience needed.

All supplies will be provided free of charge, including small snacks and metro cards.

The classes will be held at 132 West 21st Street 3rd Fl.

Please contact SVA for more information:

Art Therapy 212-592-2419

Val Sereno 212-592-2610

Please RSVP-space is limited

Our Mission

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The Veterans Art Foundation’s small and doesn’t have much in the way of space/money/equipment.  However, we have something just as good, reach.  While we may not have until we have sponsorship or a businessperson in charge (not me).  We can provide opportunities.

We’ll continue to open doors for Vets or act as a go between.  Please utilize the opportunities to further yourself and your art (if that’s what you’re trying to do).  It will benefit us by lending credibility and expose us to a greater audience.

By this I mean art shows, film festivals, poetry collections, gallery openings, music  promotion, dance and sculpture to name a few.

I can understand struggle and failure.  In the beginning I tried to publish a memoir with the funds helping the VAF.  I was rejected soundly and gave up.  It’s a bit different now.  With the VAF we can breach the wall.  There are days I doubt my own skills or ability to run the program.  There are plenty of more talented people out in the veterans world who can benefit with our help.  All it takes is an opening to make a mark on the world.

THE HEART OF WAR

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The VAF will be teaming up with a number of other nonprofits and veterans to put together a project that will shine light on veterans’ creativity and art therapy from modern conflicts.

We will be using e-books, the web, iPad, DVDs and online forums to create a world where people can experience veterans lives and thoughts through their own work.

The project will include photos, interviews, and film from their lives, explaining their stories or experiences readjusting to life at home.

Right now, we have the Exit 12 Dance Company interested along with The Graffiti Of War project, artists and veterans involved. The vets include so far, Army, Marines, Air Force. They’re decorate with purple hearts, bronze stars, and silver stars. They are heroes to the public, but privately different.

The project is titled, tentatively THE HEART OF WAR. We at the VAF hope to make a big impression on the world around us in the next two years or so.

Memoirs

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I am going to try a new tack and publish some of my memoir, which is a work in progress.  I’ll put up chapters here and there, in hopes of getting feedback.  I’ll start right now.

The memoir in question deals with my life from stepping foot in Alaska ’til now.  Army life, war, and readjustment are all covered.  The posts may not be in order.

Thanks

Mike Hawley

Executive Director