Fatherhood, by Charles Bolin
April 22 event expresses the veteran experience through the art-making process
—April 22, 2023, marks a day of celebration for the arts in Paso Robles when the Deprise Brescia Art Gallery hosts the Veteran’s POP-UP Arts Café in partnership with the Veterans’ Art Project (VETART).
The Veterans Art Project is a community-based arts organization serving active duty and retired veterans, spouses, dependents, caregivers and the community through process-driven art therapy. Providing process-intensive art encounters has proven to help military persons, some with post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries and military sexual trauma, find their voices and work through the process of transitioning to civilian life.
The VETART project offers free classes in the process-heavy disciplines of ceramics, glass, woodworking and bronze casting, working to connect military families and civilians through sharing art-making in a safe, welcoming, relaxed and fun environment. The free art classes take place in state-of-the-art facilities, taught by artists of all cultural/social backgrounds. The program offers artistic support, development and displays of completed artworks that are open to the public.
Flowers for John Lewis, by David Settino Scott
The presenting artists and seeds of inspiration in San Luis Obispo county include Alana Rodriguez, Charles Bolin, Chris Silva, Curtis Rankin, David Settino Scott, George Wilkins, James Davis, Jim Marx, John Somics, Ken Keith, Lynn Schmidt, Richard Blomquist, Rusty Smith, Renetta Howe, Stan Hawkins
Genres of art include sculpture, painting, jewelry, film, music, literature, poetry, spoken word, glass, metal, mixed media, and digital art. Resources for holistic mental health services will be shared.
Veterans who practice art are encouraged to speak about artmaking as a means to wellness. Event attendees will hear directly from the artists as they speak about the process of artmaking and how the arts have provided a means of expression as part of their healing journey and restored hope and purpose.
The POP-UP Arts Cafés are part of a statewide campaign, sponsored by and in collaboration with California’s Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) and local communities.
The Deprise Brescia Art Gallery is also be featuring two public art installations:
- Totems of Truth, Peace and Wisdom, created to share positive visions of peace, truth, and wisdom through art. Participation is free for veterans, their families, and caregivers. Contact the gallery for participation and sign-up.
- The Wall of Love and Remembrance, where all are welcome to come to the gallery and post images, names and sentiments
The Veteran’s POP-UP Art’s Café is on Sat, April 22 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and is free to the public. For more information about the Veterans’ Art Project, visit vetart.org.
The Deprise Brescia Art Gallery, located at 829 10th Street in downtown Paso Robles, is open Sun-Mon 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wed-Thur 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri-Sat 10 a.m.-p.m. and Tue by appointment. For more information about the gallery visit deprisebrescia.com.
