Sometimes, a little bit of artistic expression can be the best medicine.
It may not be a cure or grand fix, but it can certainly help you feel more grounded, present and connected to yourself and others.
For many, art is therapeutic, and it can be especially beneficial for people with traumatic experiences or mental health struggles. It is recommended as a great outlet and therapuetic tool for veterans.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, “creative arts therapies have been shown to aid in the overall physical rehabilitation of patients. Veterans are given the opportunity to explore and communicate their feelings, thoughts, experiences and perceptions of themselves through art.”
Additionally, according to research from the organization Americans for the Arts, 85% of veterans and military personnel reported that participating in art therapy was helpful in their healing, 66% reported decreased symptoms of depression and 83% reported decreased stress.
While art therapy may not be an accessible or feasible mode of treatment for all veterans, engaging in art is still possible, and it can still have many of the same theraputic effects
And it does not need to be an independent journey: It can be completed alongside others, in a community of people with similar backgrounds and experiences.
For veterans in the Burlington, Camden and Gloucester County area, consider checking out the free veterans art program at Medford Arts Center in Medford.
At MAC, the volunteer staff plan, organize and lead biweekly art classes and workshops for any one with a military background. MAC has been hosting free veteran art programs and classes for years, and its latest iteration is active and open to anyone of interest.
The current workshop series, titled Veterans Acrylic & Mixed Media Art Workshop, is led by volunteer instructor Joanne Scofield who took over the veterans program earlier this year. This is her first time running the series, and so far, the veterans who attend have been excited about the opportunities presented to them in the free 90-minute workshops on every other Thursday.
It is completely beginner-friendly, no prior experience or interest is required. Basic art supplies and basic introductions to art are provided. According to the workshop description on its webpage, the workshop “offers a supportive space to create, connect with others and experience the restorative benefits of artistic expression,” and it is “inspired by principles used in art therapy.”
The art therapy principles the workshop is inspired by (it is important to note this is not actual art therapy, nor a replacement for therapy) are creative self-expression, stress reduction and relaxation, mindfulness and personal reflection, and emotional well-being.
“Veterans have gone through so much trauma and PTSD. Here, you have a space where it’s quiet and you can kind of forget about everything,” Scofield said. “There is research about how, when you use your hand through all these different art exercises, it does something to your brain. It makes new connections, so you are not stuck in that same old circle. It kind of creates some new (mental) pathways.”
Scofield, who moved to the area a couple of years ago and is recently retired, has a masters degree in art therapy and previously volunteered and worked as an art instructor with theraputic practices at HomeFront NJ, a homeless shelter in Central Jersey. She was looking for a purpose and personal fulfillment once she moved here, and when she ended up at MAC one day and was chatting with somebody from the center, she learned that they were looking for someone to lead the veterans program, and she was all in on the opportunity.
“My main thing is to just find out what people want to learn, and then I try to help them do that,” she said of her teaching style.
Scofield is teaching veterans some art basics, like acrylic painting, collage, water color and line drawing. However, she is most passionate in helping the veterans further explore whatever they are interested in more than she cares about following a syllabus. In her classes, she wants the veterans to find what excites or relaxes them and help them hone in on it.
“In addition to teaching them about art in general and the elements and principles, we kind of plug what their interests are into that structure, then we try to give them more confidence and get them inspired to do whatever their particular form of creativity is,” Scofield said. “We go with the flow. (We find) what has meaning for the veterans and help them get there.”
In the program, veterans will consistently be introduced to different art styles and mediums, and they remain encouraged to experiment lean into what they may like.
Currently, Scofield said there have been two veterans actively coming to her iterations of the workshops, which officially began on Sept. 10. One veteran has been interested in illustration and creating comics, and the other has been interested in watercolor and designing coffee mugs. Plus, the veterans are developing community with one another and Scofield.
“Any time you get a bunch of people together to do art, a community starts to establish itself, and people start to talk. With art, you can’t not have people connecting with each other; it’s just part of the process,” Scofield said. “There’s no judgments, and nobody’s worried about what they’re going to do or how they’re doing to produce. Whatever happens, happens. We’re all in this together.”
“When I see people happy with the art they’re doing and they’re relaxed and having good conversations, I know it’s working,” she said.
The next workshops are scheduled for Thursdays, Nov. 5 and 19, and Thursdays, Dec. 3, 17 and 31, all from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Medford Arts Center in Medford. For more information or schedule updates, go to www.medfordarts.org/veterans.
