Veterans Find Healing and Connection Through Art at Savannah’s Telfair Museum

“I’ve met some wonderful people and people that I can talk to because, being in the military, you get it,” Jackson said. “I didn’t think it was going to be like this. You go in there and you’re not tensed up. Everybody shares their experiences, and then you get to do the art, so we can express ourselves in different ways.”

Jackson is one of several Veterans who recently visited the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia, as part of the Making Marks Community Exhibition, a collaborative art initiative that has become a cornerstone of the Recreation Therapy Program’s annual calendar. The Charleston VA has partnered with the museum for three consecutive years, beginning in 2023 when museum staff member Rachel reached out to the program to honor a local Savannah artist.

Since then, the partnership has blossomed into a powerful outlet for Veterans to explore creativity, build community, and share their stories through art.

“It is a lovely collaboration of individuality and teamwork,” said Jennifer Markham, Recreation Therapist and program lead. “The first project was more individual, and since then it’s been about parts of the whole.”

Last year’s project involved each Veteran creating a personal square that was later stitched into a large fabric collage. When the piece was returned to the clinic, Markham offered to separate the squares so each Veteran could keep their own. They declined.

“They wanted it kept together,” she said. “That moment stood out to me, it showed how much they valued the unity and connection they had built.”

This year’s project, also fabric-based, was entirely collaborative. Veterans worked together during sessions held in the clinic on November 7 and 14, culminating in a group visit to the museum on November 21.

“Everything was a group effort this year,” Markham said. “Many hands made light work. There were so many moving parts, and no one could do it alone.”

For Jackson, the museum visit was a highlight. “It was great because I love photography,” she said. “It has a calming effect. The different pictures, the prints, it’s different types of expression, and that really spoke to me.”

The Veterans’ artwork will be displayed at the museum starting December 7, a moment Jackson describes as deeply meaningful.

“I think it’s a real honor that they think enough of us as Veterans to say, ‘We appreciate what y’all do. Let’s show them your work,’” she said. “For this museum to say, ‘We honor our vets,’ that’s good. That means a lot.”

Markham hopes the experience leaves a lasting impression. “I want them to see that alone we might be great, but together we are mighty,” she said. “There are thousands of pieces of fabric that together make a beautiful piece of art.”

She added that the museum setting elevates the impact of the work done in the clinic. “Group projects are seen by each other, but this allows it to be on display on a much larger platform.”

For Veterans who may be hesitant to join, Jackson has a message: “It’s a natural way of getting to know people. I’ve made real connections. We’ve exchanged numbers, talked outside of group. It makes you feel welcome.”

Markham agrees. “Art allows us to open up parts of our minds that many feel like they don’t have,” she said. “While hands are busy, people can talk and not feel stressed. That’s the power of creative therapy.”