\u201cI enjoy sharing the creative arts with other Veterans. Sharing the arts brings out the best in me,\u201d Walker shared.<\/p>\n
As we celebrate Black History Month, we discover the rich tapestry of African American history that has shaped our diverse nation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s theme, \u201cAfrican Americans and the Arts,\u201d invites us to honor the artists who use their crafts to uplift, inspire and effect change. Their work demonstrates the resilience and creativity of the African American community and their stories are an integral part of our shared history. At VA, we recognize the powerful tool the arts can be throughout a Veteran\u2019s journey toward physical and mental health.<\/p>\n
In observance of Black History Month, VA\u2019s National Veterans Sports Program and Special Events highlights some first-place Black Veteran artists who have shared their talent with our community through the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Artwork: A Queen<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe for me it\u2019s really simple. It has always been in me to create. I have not always channeled it correctly. When I woke up from the darkness, I realized that there was something I had forgotten I could do. It was to create,\u201d Hollingsworth said.<\/p>\n
Artwork: Eye on the Future<\/p>\n
\u201cTo paint, color and draw creatively while moving through therapy makes me feel full of life,\u201d Mathisrud said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy sharing the creative arts with other Veterans. Sharing the arts brings out the best in me,\u201d Walker shared.<\/p>\n
Mose competed for the first time in the 2022 Creative Arts Festival and won gold for her crochet\/knit artwork titled, \u201cWounded Warrior.\u201d \u201cParticipating in the creative arts allows me to feel like I still have a way to contribute to society even when my mind feels scrambled or cluttered. It gives me a way to create and share with others and makes me feel happy and whole,\u201d Mose said.<\/p>\n
Mose won gold for her narrative, \u201cThe Arts Birthed the Army in Me.\u201d \u00a0\u201cI remembered my Army days going back as far as JROTC. These were my comrades. They would have my back and I felt safe. My military experience was birthed from the arts. Like parents who grow with their children, the arts grew with me,\u201d Wyatt said.<\/p>\n
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