Every Tuesday in the Redlands RSL Museum, a group of veterans and some of their wives and family members come together to socialise and to paint.
They have all served in some way or are the partner or widow of someone who has and have been affected by Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
The veterans art therapy group was started more than ten years ago to help those affected and associated with PTSD when the Redlands Veteran society wanting to start and art group.
The group had their art on display on Tuesday to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War this year.
Secretary Rebecca Smock said a government grant and a partnership with the Keith Payne Mental Health Unit at Greenslopes Private Hospital was what got the group going 12 years ago.
“Psychiatrists say that music and art therapy are the best things for PTSD,” Mrs Smock said.
“And you really see the changes in people when they start coming to classes, it really does calm them down.
“They get to come in here and draw or paint anything they want under the guidance of art teacher Helen Spooner.”
Many of the paintings have a military theme, but there are also an array of landscapes, portraits,still life pieces and much more.
Mrs Spooner is a the widow of a veteran and helped formed the class.
“We’re not psychiatrists, we don’t ask questions, but we understand,” Mrs Spooner said.
Marion Croft has been coming to classes for 18 months and enjoys the social side of the classes and the community of artists.
Before she started coming the only drawing she had done was in school.
Now Mrs Croft uses an array of materials from pastels to oils, to create her art, one of her pieces inspired by photos from the Hubble Telescope.
“You can do whatever you want, in pastels or water colours and oils, it’s all available” she said.
Margaret House started coming to classes with friend Mrs Croft, and said the only art she had done was scrap booking or cake decorating and she never though she would be able to produce the work she has.
The classes are free of charge to the veteran community and their families.
There is one class for veterans and one for partners and family of veterans.
“So everyone gets a break,” Mrs Smock said.
“Later this year we are hoping to put on a proper exhibition of all the art.”
For more information about the art therapy classes phone secretary Rebecca Smock on 0413 075 704.
