KATRINA BRANDON
By KATRINA BRANDON
LIFE as a first responder or veteran can have many life changing aspects that challenge your everyday life in the future. From November 7 to 10, RSL Traralgon is holding a Veteran’s Art Display exhibit featuring many mediums in the theme of Remembrance Day. Artist Damon Craig said “the plan with the RSL is for Veterans Welfare and rehab, and sports. We are now starting to look at things like yoga and art, those other avenues for rehab and just mental health impediment”. “It is also about us connecting with the community as well. It’s pushing the veterans’ welfare further forward through art, not just sport.” This year is the first year Traralgon RSL is holding the exhibition and they are excited to see the outcomes and community support, as well if there are any veterans and first responders that would like to join for the next exhibition to come. Traralgon RSL Welfare Officer, Jan Young, said that painting and many other hobbies are great for emotional release, and opens them up to the ability to either talk or paint their stories. Artist Daniel Fletcher built on this by saying that doing art together is a great conversation starter into their experiences and is one way to helping each other get through those experiences. Mr Craig said “it is a great hobby to grab paint, grab material and to just create something even if it is just fun and it is also about making a positive from those strange emotions we have acquired in our service time”. “I tend to take something that didn’t go so well in my service and spin it into my artwork to make a positive and nice outcome. “I look at it and say that I have made something good out of it.” The exhibition is open to the public over the four nights featuring themes of poppy flowers and Remembrance Day. Hours are 10am to 12am Tuesday to Thursday, and 10am to 1am on Friday.
