Art Center of Orange East Main Street Orange Va
A painting of Louis Armstrong creating sonic joy with his trumpet. A Native American Chief made of wire, shadows and light. A triptych of the Twin Towers. A stunning photograph of the Colorado Rockies in Fall. Intricate bead-work depicting the POW/MIA flag done in cherry-red, white and blueish. This isn't an art gallery. Information technology's the new Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Heart (RMR) in Aurora, Colorado.
On the way to an appointment at the hospital, patients walk through a principal concourse that connects the unlike campus buildings. All the artwork hanging along this concourse was created by local Veterans, and most of it is for auction. If a piece of art is purchased, the artist receives 100 percent of his or her commission.
Eastern Colorado Wellness Intendance Organization Director Sallie Houser-Hanfelder said, "Nosotros wanted to brand this medical center a hub for our Veterans, a place for them to come and visit with other Veterans, take a cup of coffee, relax in comfort while waiting for their appointments. With that mindset, we decided to showcase the incredible talents of our Veterans, particularly those who participate in rehabilitative creative therapy and the Creative Arts Festival. Hanging the art done by our Veterans seemed like the perfect finishing touch."
One person integral to making the director'south vision a reality was Regular army Veteran Jim Stevens, an accomplished artist himself. At the 2018 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, Stevens won first place in the Special Recognition—Physical Inability category. The Native American master mentioned higher up is i of his pieces.
Stevens is also managing director of the VFW Post #1 Veterans Arts Council in Denver, and one of the curators of the fine art gallery located at the mail in the heart of Denver's Santa Fe Arts District. It was this and his experience as a Veteran that uniquely qualified him to help guide the Veteran gallery projection.
"Knowing our experience working with Veterans, the arts, and successful gallery management over the final 4 years, Mrs. Hanfelder asked me and the Post 1 Commander at that time to encounter with her to aid the hospital staff with curating, intake and hanging needs for the Veterans art brandish project she had in mind for the new hospital. With our gallery experience, nosotros were happy to assistance," Stevens said.
Stevens worked with VA staff on the creative person application and intake paperwork, the selection of the hanging system for the walls, management of art sales. On art intake day, the council also supplied the odds and ends that are always needed for the concrete hanging of art works and brandish cards. During intake, council staff guided Veteran volunteers in the proper labeling of the art and helped arrange and hang it.
Stevens continued, "The Veterans Arts Council mission is to help, guide and aggrandize opportunities for all Veteran artists in the community, and helping Managing director Hanfelder and her staff with this opportunity was an exciting win-win for everyone—including hereafter visitors and patients. Nosotros were honored to assistance."
Curious well-nigh the RMR fine art intake process?
The first pace is signing up for the 2019 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. VA incorporates creative arts into its recreation therapy programs to further the rehabilitation environment for both inpatients and outpatients. The almanac competition recognizes the progress and recovery made through that therapy, and raises the visibility of the creative achievements of our nation's Veterans subsequently illness, inability or life crisis. Larn more than about the festival here: https://vaww.blogstest.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-creative-arts-festival/.
"Past participating in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, the Veteran is not only increasing their creativity, expression and operation—it also promotes community integration and social interactions with their peers and the public. Therefore, nosotros feel there is no meliorate style to curate the fine art hanging at RMR than by going through the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival process," said Recreational Therapist Sarah El Hage.
Artwork intended for facility tin can be of different mediums, and will be securely hung on the wall or displayed on a locked shelving unit to discourage tampering. For infinite concerns, pieces cannot be above a sure size, and the work must exist appropriate for the setting. Artwork does non need to win or even place in the festival to be considered for display past the hospital'southward art committee. Very limited space may be available for pieces created by Veterans not wishing to enter the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, but priority will be given to entries. To detect out more nigh entering your art in the 2019 NVCAF and/or displaying your art in the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center concourse, e-mail VHAECHRMRArtCommittee@va.gov.
Applications for the 2019 National Veterans Artistic Arts Festival will come out early on January 2019, and the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Centre selection process will begin after the awarding borderline. We hope to see your name in the entries and your artwork on the walls.
Jamie (Mobley) Dannen is a Public Diplomacy Specialist at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in Aurora. She is an Army Veteran and a graduate of Kansas Land University.
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Source: https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/53476/rocky-mountain-regional-va-medical-centers-veterans-art-gallery/
Just when I had drive time, campus locations and such down for the drive to the Denver facility, they finally complete and open up the Aurora facility. First fourth dimension driving was a bit of a strain from Colorado Springs to Aurora – new road, new facility to navigate to become my husband, a Vietnam combat veteran, to his date on fourth dimension.
In one case at that place, still edgy, things started get better with transportation assistance from the parking garage to his appointment location, the warm and friendly and completely understanding escorts. The appointment would take 4 to 6 hours. During that time, I found my way to the cafeteria to grab hubby a bite of lunch. I found myself standing in amazement at the art work displayed. One of the escort volunteers informed me information technology was all veteran produced through the program using art as healing therapy. I'g a crafter and artist of sorts myself, multi mediums over my life, then I appreciated the time and thought that went into many of the pieces I saw. Because of time constraints, I could only tell my husband of the art. Information technology was some other visit that allowed us time for me to casually push his wheelchair down the concourse and back the other side to view the art displayed. I urge anyone who has the opportunity, delight go, look – really look. If proper time is taken, yous tin can "feel" the healing this program provides participants… and if yous are like me, y'all will see the healing it gives veterans observing this art.
Neat idea! How tin can establish a Veterans Art Gallery in San Antonio, Texas?
I was so glad to read the commodity in the VA News on the display of art piece of work in that location at the new Rocky Mountain VAMC in Aurora, CO. I was lucky to have taken a self-guided tour of the facility and art gallery on my manner back to the Gulf Coast thinking how great it would be to have the Biloxi VAMC implement such an showroom did there in Aurora, CO. Existence a Veteran I know that there is a lot of art-media talent here to take that happen. Thanks over again for sharing the commodity.
My email to VHAECHRMRArtCommittee@va.gov
was rejected saying information technology is a restricted e-mail. Tin someone help me email someone involved in the Art Committee Veteran's Hospital in Aurora?
Thanks.
Scott Harrison
I love the article!!!! Very squeamish