Community Corner

The Art of War: Veterans Use Creativity to Cope with Combat Experiences

Veterans talk about using artistic expression to make sense of military life.

A week after Veteran’s Day, veterans are coming to Bloomfield to share how war changed them and art helped heal them.

From 11:45 a.m to 4 p.m. on Saturday, veterans of military actions and wars in Iraq, Somalia and Vietnam will talk about using art to cope with the trauma of the war experience at the Bloomfield High School auditorium.

The program, presented by New Jersey Peace Action, includes five veterans who have taken part in the Combat Paper Project art therapy workshops, which uses art to help veterans express and cope with their personal experiences. The presentations will be supplemented by slide projections illustrating art projects undertaken in the Combat Paper Project.

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Organizers said that the day will provide invaluable insight into being part of the military.

“We don’t see the negative impacts of war,” Executive Director of New Jersey Peace Action Madelyn Hoffman said. “To hear people come back from the wars talk about their experiences and their difficulties readjusting to being home is important for people to know about.”

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Eli Wright began working with Combat Paper while on active duty in Iraq, and will discuss the project and his personal experiences with combat.

Jan Barry, who served in the army during Vietnam before becoming a poet, journalist and college journalism teacher, will discuss his time at war and how it shaped his literary life, including the poems collected in Life After War & Other Poems. 

Sarah Mess will discuss working in war zone field hospital in the 1993 United Nations mission in Somalia. Jennifer Pacanowski, author of Whose Soul Is That, will talk about her service in Iraq.

Marine and artist Walt Nygardartist, will talk about how his duty during the Vietnam war influenced his life, including writing the book The Summer Joe Joined the Army.   

Hoffman said she hoped the personal stories would influence how audience members view global events. 

"The veterans' trauma is our trauma, and we need to understand that before we so quickly support any future war,” Hoffman said.

Members of Bloomfield based New Jersey Peace Action and volunteers from Bloomfield High School and College will offer homemade soups, breads and deserts at the event. Events will also include a silent auction. 


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