Artists/Veterans Art Collaborative: Coming Home, Connecting Families

The Veterans Art Project was founded in 2010 by Jackie Albarella and Dan Frontera. Two neighborhood friends, Jackie, an artist, and Dan, a veteran, decided to use their personal experiences to help veterans cope with the tensions of returning home from deployment. With the addition of Jim Becker, a major in the US Army Reserve, counselor at the Buffalo Vet Center and one of the artists represented in this exhibition, the group was formed. The program allows veterans an opportunity to explore their emotions and experiences through active, team-based participation. The group seeks to create a similar setting to the squad and build camaraderie familiar to all service members. Today the project is known as the Artists/Veterans Art Collaborative.

Through a partnership with Medaille College and the Urban Canvas Project, the Artists/Veterans Art Collaborative now continues for its second year. This display at the Burchfield Penney Art Center is the program’s second public exhibition. The show includes work of veterans whose service spans four wars.

The Artists/Veterans Art Collaborative has recently expanded to partner with the Mental Health Association of Western New York. Together they created a program called “Bedtime Stories.” This project brings a group of veteran families together to create storybooks that are shared with deployed family members. The books are written by and drawn by the families and a pocket-sized version is created and sent to the person serving abroad.

The work on view was created by accomplished artists, beginning artists and children, all of whom use art as a mode of expressing the complex feelings brought upon by war. The exhibition provided a unique look at how service affects their lives. Fear, hope and joy all have a place in these works, which are all connected through the experience of serving our country.

Program funding provided by:
Alfiero Family Foundation
VFW 9249 DeGlopper Post, Grand Island, NY
American Legion 735, West Seneca, NY 
Navy Marine Club, Lockport, NY