The public is invited to go on their own walkabout and see the art and poetry created by veterans that will be displayed in storefront windows in Downtown Pembroke from Nov. 1 — Nov. 14.
As explained by Saffery, the displays give a voice to the veterans in recovery while building awareness of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and allow for understanding more about art therapy among the public.
“The Australian Walkabout in the Outback is a traditional aboriginal rite of passage during which males take a long journey into the wilderness by themselves and return home changed
spiritually and societally,” Saffery explains. “The healing process is also a long journey, sometimes to places unknown and unwelcome. Eventually, you want to come back to what you can call home, changed, but knowing who you are.”
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Healing is needed when you keep traumatic memories locked away because of the pain that remembering them brings, Saffery said.
“It is often difficult to adequately express these experiences and related feelings in words. This is when the imagery of art offers so much potential for healing. Art is sensorial and directly relates to memory, emotions and feelings, all of which are negatively impacted by trauma. Art therapy uses art as a visual language for communication and expression,” Saffery said.
Warrior Walkabout 2022 will feature many art themes including traumatic events and intrusive thoughts and dreams; memories which are grounding and safe; meditative and mindful art; personal visions and designs; directed art therapy techniques; free art; and 3-dimensional art.
This exhibition includes work that is experimental, directed, revealing, conceptual and concrete. Every piece here has its own story, its own time and place and reflects a personal part of the artist’s life, whether it took 10 minutes to make, or hours of focused application.
There will be maps available at the PBIA office 130 Pembroke Street West, Purvis Gallery 185 Prince Street and on Facebook at Valley Veteran Art.
This content was originally published here.