How Sharing Art Can Heal A Veteran’s Head, Heart and Soul

One year ago The American Veteran’s Art Wall (The AVAW) began accepting submissions, but the creators of the site already knew what their frontispiece would be and what the closing image would be. The opening mask, done by Army SSG Perry Hopman, in its simplicity, courage, honesty, power and technical prowess, painted with a “dainty” brush, was indeed the essence of what The AVAW aspires to. The closing mask, by Army MAJ Jeff Hall, is unapologetic in its rage and pain, exploring the point at which a man can still save his humanity or lose it completely.

These two pieces of art reflect not only the strength of the men who painted them, but also the strength of the human spirit.

Perry Hopman’s daughter will never know the man he used to be, a man taking over twenty medications a day, treating symptoms but not touching the problem. He did not want to use art to heal himself: “Number one, I’m a man and I don’t like holding a dainty little paint brush. Number two, I am not an artist. Number three, I’m not in kindergarten.” But he got over his own perception of what a soldier was - what a man was, and then he created. And in creating, he gained insight: “I was wrong. I think it was [the mask] that starting me opening up and actually trying to get better.”

A car bomb exploded 35 feet from Jeff Hall. He says the scars are invisible. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a new name for an old problem; trauma to the brain was called “shell shock” in WWI and WWII. Hall says it changed him, as it has been changing warriors for more than a century. Little is understood and so little can be done.

Co-Founder of The AVAW, David Hahn’s wife’s great uncle served in WWI. Before going to war he was so outgoing every one called him “Happy.” He returned and then sat on his porch, carving animals out of wood. Never able to work, he never married and never had a life. Could sharing art have helped and changed him?

Jeff Hall painted a mask, like Perry Hopman, as part of the National Intrepid Center for Excellence at Walter Reed U.S. Veteran’s Hospital. He said the image was one he had imagined, and for whatever reason it stuck with him and had to come out. He says his art is a silent testament to pain that speaks volumes and can heal. Art is like a printed page - it is there if you want to read it.

Both men now travel and speak about the healing power of art to veterans. Mr. Hahn considers it an honor to have received these two masks, and says, “they shall always open and close the gallery no matter how big we get.” Though they may tell you differently, both men are artist and they use art the way it has been used since man was man, to validate his own existence.

I AM. I HAVE WORTH. I AM NOT ALONE.

With this opening and closing set, The AVAW left the middle in the hands of the men and women for whom this tribute stands: the American Veteran.

Veterans can do what we want with it. Veterans can create a shining tribute to the service we gave. We can share a part of ourselves, and in sharing find we have power. Power that not only commands the respect we deserve, but the power to help other veterans; even the power to save the lives of those on the brink. Or we, the veteran community, can just wait for things to get better on their own and just deal with our experiences internally.

The AVAW belongs to all American veterans: make a post and take ownership. Get other veterans to post. The AVAW can only be as great as we veterans are willing to make it. Make your own voice heard. You could not have better inspirations then these, the Spotlight works for September 1st and thank Jeff Hall and Perry Hopman for their courage in the field and at home.

Thank you!