Healing Threads: War, Trauma and Art will be a community-wide event, including art exhibitions at the Military Experience & the Arts Symposium, the Lawton Vets Center, and Leslie Powell Gallery, lectures by art historian, Dr. Tara Leigh Tappert at the MEA symposium and the Lawton Vet Center, and all-inclusive paper-making workshops by featured artist and military veteran Malachi Muncy, you’ll have a rare opportunity not only to see an exhibition, but to also interact with and learn from its curators and artists.
The MEA2/Lawton “Healing Threads” Exhibit is based upon “Healing Threads/Cathartic Clay: War, Trauma, and Art,” a recent event in Salina, Kansas.
To learn a little more about what to expect at MEA2 view the Salina event’s catalogue here.
Or read a description of the Salina event on Salina Art Center’s website here.
Healing Threads Exhibits
Introduction to “Healing Threads” at the Lawton Vet Center #728
Dates: May 14
Time: 6 PM
Location: 1016 SW C Avenue, Suite B / Lawton, OK 73501
On the opening night of MEA2 those planning to attend the “Healing Threads” event at the Lawton Vet Center will have an opportunity to grab an early dinner at the McCasland Ballroom at 5:30 PM (everyone else eats at 6 PM). After eating, the group will convoy to the Vet Center. Dr. Tara Tappert will then deliver a 10-15 minute introduction to the “Healing Threads” exhibits to be hosted there, at MEA2, and at the Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery. Following Tara’s introduction participants will be invited to view the works before returning to Cameron for the scheduled performance by Exit 12 Dance Co. at 7:30 PM. The exhibits located throughout Lawton will be available throughout the duration of MEA2, to participants as well as those interested in military art. During MEA2, works at the Vet Center will be viewable at the following times:
May 13 – 8:00AM-7:30PM
May 14 – 8:00AM-7:30PM
May 15 – 8:00AM-4:30PM
May 16 – 9:00AM-1:00PM
“Healing Threads” at the Leslie Powell Gallery
Dates: May 12 through June
Times: Monday-Friday, 12 PM – 4 PM
Location: 620 SW D Avenue / Lawton, OK 73501
The Leslie Powell Gallery will begin featuring “Healing Threads” artwork a week prior to the kickoff of the MEA Symposium. Located in downtown Lawton, visitors at the Leslie Powell Gallery will only be a few minutes away from the conference location. While there they’ll also be able to find more information about the ART-ifacts exhibit at the Lawton Vet Center and about related events.
“Healing Threads” at the Lawton Vet Center #728
Dates: May 15, 16, & 17
Time: 9-5 PM (May 15 & 16), 9-12 PM (May 17)
Location: 1016 SW C Avenue, Suite B / Lawton, OK 73501
Tara would give a brief 10-15 minute intro, participants could observe the works for about 30 minutes, and then car pool back to Cameron for Exit 12 Dance Co. at 7:30. The show will be open during the duration of MEA2, and people from the community who are not participating in the MEA2 workshops/festivities will also be at the exhibit, and the two events should complement each other wonderfully.
Military Art History Lectures at MEA2
Dr. Tara Tappert will introduce her two lectures at the Lawton Vet Center on May 14. In addition to viewing the abovementioned exhibits, symposium participants will have the opportunity to attend “Art from War: Documenting Devastation/Realizing Restoration” and “In Service to the Nation: Arts and Crafts and the Military” as workshops at MEA2.
Tara Leigh Tappert, Ph.D. is an independent scholar and an archives and American art consultant. Since 2010 Tara has been researching and writing about the arts and the military, and about artistic expressions of war trauma. Her work has been supported by the David B. Larson fellowship for Health and Spirituality in John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress (2014), and by a research grant from the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design (2010). Inspired by the artwork of Iraq and Afghanistan veteran artists, Tara founded The Arts & The Military, a grassroots organization that envisioned, developed and produced with a team of volunteers Arts, Military + Healing: A Collaborative Initiative, a 6-day event with workshops and public programs held at seven major cultural, educational, and medical institutions across the greater Washington, DC area (2012). She served as exhibitions curator for Combat Paper Project (2011-14), arts editor for the 3rd issue of Journal of Military Experiences (2013), and adjunct professor, teaching a Public History class, The Arts and the Military, at University of Maryland Baltimore County. Tara has also curated three arts and military exhibitions – Healing Threads / Cathartic Clay: War, Trauma, and Art, Salina Art Center, Salina, KS (2014/15), Citizen/Soldier/Artist, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Kansas City, KS (2014), and Citizen /Soldier/Citizen, Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, IN (2013/14). Tara holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from George Washington University.
ART FROM WAR: Documenting Devastation/Realizing Restoration
Date: May 15
Time: 4:30-6:00 PM
Location: Ross 101 (Workshop # 10.1)
Veterans from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have found the arts as an outlet for making sense of their war experiences. Military hospitals also use the arts as a therapeutic treatment for those wounded in combat. These two distinctly different artistic approaches to the experiences of war trauma – documentation and restoration – have a long and honorable history. Veterans throughout the world have made artwork to convey war experiences, while hospitals, social service agencies, and individuals have used the arts to help the disabled find ways to face the future. Beginning with World War I arts and crafts making was used to rehabilitate wounded soldiers and veterans through occupational therapy and vocational training, and during and after World War II the military encouraged arts-based leisure and recreation activities for the promotion of self-sufficiency and well-being. This presentation briefly documents such creative initiatives as the occupational therapy work of WWI Re-Construction Aides, the WWII era Red Cross Arts & Skills Service, the arts and crafts program launched by the U.S. military after WWII, writing programs for Vietnam veterans, and the healing and well-being arts initiatives, such as the Joe Bonham Project, created to support today’s Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
In Service to the Nation: Arts and Crafts and the Military
Date: May 16
Time: 1:00-2:30 PM
Location: Ross 101 (Workshop # 13.2)
In the twentieth century, the American military incorporated the use of crafts in two major service areas: beginning with WWI as a tool for rehabilitation treating wounded soldiers and veterans through occupational therapy and vocational training; and since WWII as a leisure and recreation activity promoting a sense of well-being and efficacy. Arts and crafts making and other forms of creative expression have also helped veterans of war and combat following separation from service. This presentation briefly documents this history, highlighting such creative initiatives as the WWII era silversmithing program created for wounded soldiers by Margret Craver for Handy & Harman and Walter Reed General Hospital, the Army and Air Force arts and crafts program, including the Basic 7 initiative, writing and music programs developed by Vietnam veterans, and the myriad forms of arts and crafts making for both healing and wellbeing developed by today’s Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
Related MEA2 Workshops
Title: Veterans’ Paper Making: Telling Your Story
Leaders: Malachi Muncy, Annie McFarland & Meredith McMackin
Description: 1-30 participants (split between the two workshops), unlimited amount of observers; MEA2’s paper-making offerings include two workshops working in tandem–at the same space and at the same time in the MCC Buddy Green Room.
May 14: On the first day of the symposium, Malachi Muncy will be working solo with those veterans who bring uniforms that they wish to turn into paper, providing them with the full “cutting to pulping paper-making experience.”
May 15 & 16: Pulp created on the first day of the symposium will be put to use on the second and third days. Malachi will continue to focus on the paper-making experience whereas Meredith McMackin and Annie McFarland will be begin the work of turning that paper into art. Workshops on the 15th and 16th will be open to both veterans and their families. Malachi will continue to instruct on the art of paper-making, and Annie and Meredith will combine this practice with their experiences as Arts Therapists, beginning with a documentary film created at Florida State University, continuing with exercises meant to turn handmade paper made from military uniforms into art. Using the paper made from a uniform of their branch of the military, participants will create a symbol representing their military experience on paper. This will be an interactive group experience where participants can share their stories, thoughts about the creative process, and the symbolic meaning of their work.
May 17: Participants will use whatever pulp remains and there will be time for them to complete / pick-up works started on previous days. If possible, the workshop leaders ask that participants assist with cleanup and packing of supplies and materials.
Session(s) / Date(s) / Time(s)/ Location(s)
(Participants are encouraged to attend either or both the paper-making components and/or the art making components in whatever order fits their schedules.)
Sessions 2.5 & 3.5 (Veterans Uniform-to-Paper Workshop Only)
May 14, 9:45 AM & 1:00 PM, in MCC Buddy Green Room 213
Sessions 7.5 & 8.4 (Full Paper-Making & Paper-to-Art Workshops)
May 15, 9:45 AM & 1:00 PM, in MCC Buddy Green Room 213
Sessions 11.5 & 12.5 (Full Paper-Making & Paper-to-Art Workshops)
May 16, 8:00 AM & 9:45 AM, in MCC Buddy Green Room 213
Session 16.4 (Finishing Touches, Retrieve Works, Clean-up)
May 16, 8:00 AM & 9:45 AM, in MCC Buddy Green Room 213
The Arts & The Military serves as a catalyst for creativity, community-building, and conversation. Discover the history and culture of the arts and the military through ART-forum educational programs. Participate in art-making and community-building activities at ART-illery workshops. Experience the unique and powerful stories of military life, and artistic responses to war by veterans and civilians at ART-ifacts exhibitions. Learn more by contacting: info@artsandmilitary.org.
To serve as a catalyst for creativity, community-building, and conversation.
Inquiries can be sent to: info@artsandmilitary.org