Over the past couple of months, the Rhode Island Veterans’ Home has been filled with artistic expression, as guest instructors have led classes on painting, photography and drawing. Now the art produced in those workshops is on display at the Rogers Free Public Library, in conjunction with the Bristol Art Museum.

The art, as well as the artists, fall into a broad range. The oldest artist is a veteran of World War II, while the youngest served in the Gulf War, and they collectively have served in all departments of the military. Their actual artwork includes everything from abstract paintings to portraits taken of fellow veterans.

Mary McKee, one of the museum’s directors, said the art came from multiple classes taught at the veterans home, such as a painting class taught by Barbara Larned, a mixed-media instructor from the East Bay, and a photography course taught by Tom Corrigan, an attorney and avid photographer.

The art pieces varied depending on the artist. One man, Richard McManus, is a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in the Vietnam War. According to McKee, McManus’ artwork led to the genesis of the exhibit.

“His social worker was in touch with us and wanted to know how his artwork could be included in the exhibits we do here,” McKee said. “About every six to eight weeks, we change the exhibits, and she wanted to put some of his work in.” This conversation sparked the idea of doing an exhibit dedicated to the veterans’ artwork.

The artists focused on a variety of subjects. While some looked back on their days in the military days, one who was a doctor made a piece of work about his time in the Tonkin Gulf. Another, who served in the Air Force, made one that depicted a plane dropping bombs. Many turned to photography and took portraits of their fellow veterans’ home residents.

McKee said that many veterans whose work is not on display came to observe or participate in the workshops as well. While they did not wish to have their work on display, it showed the amount of interests in the classes themselves.

Library patrons have already been giving the exhibit a lot of attention, with McKee mentioning that the library is a highly visible place and works well for a community gallery such as this. She said that placing their art out in public like this is important, as the veterans are not always given the recognition they deserve.
“We don’t always give enough attention to the community’s veterans, except on holidays like Veterans Day and Memorial Day,” McKee said.

Visitors to the library will have plenty of time to recognize their artwork. The exhibit is expected to run until Dec 23 and is available for viewing whenever the library is open to the public.