Paint and Peace Program teaches soldiers and Veterans creative expression
Nellis Air Force Base’s Paint and Peace program brought their brushes and palettes to introduce attendees to creative arts therapy at the Veterans Day Car Show and Barbeque on November 10.
Car shows invoke thoughts of flashy paint and chrome, revving engines, and auto enthusiasts trying to one-up each other with the attention they pay to their pieces of art. One thing you wouldn’t expect to find at a car show is a place of peace and healing devoted to creating art on canvas. However, that’s exactly what happened at the latest VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System Car Show and BBQ when Nellis Air Force Base’s Paint and Peace program brought their brushes and palettes to introduce attendees to creative arts therapy.
Paint & Peace, a program founded by Technical Sergeant Mercedes Taylor, encourages mental wellness for active duty and former servicemembers through creativity.
“When we pulled out of Afghanistan, I saw the images on the news, and it triggered something in me and I just was crying all week,” said Taylor. “If I'm affected by this, how many others are affected?” This question served as the launching point for Paint & Peace.
It's a free program, using instructional painting, for Veterans to paint what’s on their heart and in their mind.
“Creative arts are a great way for Veterans to express themselves,” said Whole Health Education Coordinator Samantha Rubenstein. “It can be truly beneficial for both Veterans and families as it involves imagination, inspiration, expression, and creativity. It can help foster well-being by providing a sense of healing and connectedness to community.”
Art therapies combine the Veteran’s creativity with several art disciplines to assist them with fostering self-awareness, managing behavior and addictions, and reducing anxiety while increasing self-esteem.
Volunteers support Paint & Peace. They have become a therapeutic family of sorts. Airman Darius Marsh joined Paint & Peace nine months ago. “I just showed up one day and kind of just got involved,” said Marsh. “I started getting my hands dirty and stuff. Now, we're like a big family.”
Paint and Peace hosts event on Nellis Air Force Base about every six weeks, and they have recently started to hold events for the Veteran community through classes at the North Las Vegas VA Medical Center. If you’re interested in learning how you can find peace through painting, check out their Facebook page at Paint & Peace (facebook.com) .