Gallery 175 Is Showing Art By Military Vets

Journeys Onward - Honoring Veterans’ Experiences in Art and Words, an art exhibit of work by many New England veterans, is on exhibit at Gallery 175 in downtown Pawtucket, RI. The artwork is by veterans and their immediate families and is accompanied by commentary by the artists about how their military experience inspired their creative expressions.

Michelle Thomas, a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Connecticut Air National Guard, is one of the exhibitors. An artist and teacher in Hartford, CT, she has a mission “to encourage healing in this hurting world.” About her art, she says, “This current body of work represents my personal journey of looking back upon my life, retracing historical events and personal experiences to glean knowledge of self. No matter how painful looking at our past is, there exists an extreme benefit to learning from one’s mistakes and misfortunes to change the course of the future.”

Curated by Paul Murray, the purpose of the exhibit is to increase awareness of military art created by U.S. Armed Forces members and their immediate families. Murray says, “We want to foster communication among those in the military and civilian communities that offers personal insight into the experiences of being in the military and being a support provider.”

The exhibit is on view in Gallery 175 from August 26 – November 2, 2018. Located in downtown Pawtucket in the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center at 175 Main Street, Gallery 175 is open to visitors daily from 10am to 4 pm. The public is invited to attend a reception for the artists on September 16, from 2 to 3:30pm.