October 10 through November 11, 2018
100th Anniversary of Armistice Day
Reception: November 11, 3:00-5:00 PM
Berkeley Arts Works, 116 N. Queen Street, Martinsburg, WV 25401
Hours: Wed-Thu-Fri 11-4, Sat 11-5
The Berkeley Arts Council has mounted a unique mixed media exhibition by regional U.S. Military Veterans to commemorate this year’s 100th Anniversary of the 1918 Armistice that ended World War I. The 13 veteran artists included are or were part of the Healing Arts Center and Recreational Therapy programs at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Martinsburg, WV. The exhibit is curated by Berkeley Arts Council artist Gary Bergel.
A “Meet Your Veterans” Reception will close this special commemorative exhibit on Sunday, November 11, from 3:00-5:00 PM. All are cordially invited to attend and greet the following veteran artists who have graciously contributed art works to this Armistice Anniversary exhibition:
Abu-Farruk Azhar, Preston Brown, Chris Chambers, Bob Hamill, Christopher Houck, James Jackson, Anthony Jones, Shawn Jordan, Jose Miranda , Howard Johnson, Doug Shuttlesburg, Johnny Williams. Paintings by Michael Smith, deceased, are also included in tribute to him and his service.
Media included in the exhibit span oil and acrylic painting, mixed media, painted ceramics, photography, wood working, and memorial walking sticks honoring fallen comrades.
BACKGROUND: There is an increasing awareness and appreciation for the therapeutic and healing possibilities found in creative human self-expression. Berkeley County, West Virginia, is fortunate to be home to a VA Medical Center with some of the most vibrant and effective art therapy and recreational therapy programs in the nation – evidenced by the Martinsburg Center’s winning entries in the annual National Veterans Creative Arts and Crafts Competition.
“VERNACULAR” is a relatively new term that museum directors and visual art curators give to human creative work done for therapeutic, healing, and restorative reasons. It’s also sometimes called folk art, self-taught, naïve art, outsider, or outlier art. The creators may or may not be engaged with the professional, academic, or commercial art world.