I am pleased to announce that art displays created by 10 women Veterans will be featured at VA medical facilities across the country in March during Women’s History Month.

In addition to Women’s History Month, March marks a significant milestone for women Veterans, as it is also the 100-year anniversary of the women officially enlisting in the regular U.S. military with full military rank and equal pay. Women Veterans often report feeling unrecognized and underappreciated; this exciting initiative will address that concern by increasing awareness of women as Veterans among VA health care providers and other staff, raising male Veteran patients’ awareness of the service and sacrifice of their women peers, and helping women feel more welcome by seeing their experiences as Veterans visibly reflected in images by and of other women when they enter a VA facility.

Image of artist with example of her phtography feature a female soldering holding a child.VA’s Center for Women Veterans partnered on this project with Veteran Artist Program, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering and promoting Veteran artists. The call for submissions resulted in nearly 400 pieces of art being sent in from more than 100 women Veterans around the country. The Veteran Artist Program will now select 10 works to be featured on storyboards, each of which will include an image of the work of art, photos of the women in and out of uniform, and a brief biography.

The following VA locations have been chosen to host the exhibit of the ten storyboards: Beckley VA Medical Center, Beckley, West Virginia; W. G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, North Carolina; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia; James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Mountain Home, Tennessee; VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, in Topeka and Leavenworth, Kansas; Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois ; Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, Louisiana; Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas; Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, Spokane, Washington; and VA Southern  Nevada Healthcare System, Las Vegas, Nevada. The locations are also planning various events to increase awareness of the exhibits – stay tuned for more information as details become available.

Please join me in congratulating the locations that have been selected and check back on the Center for Women Veterans website soon for the upcoming announcement of which artists have been selected!

 

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12 Comments

  1. CJB January 24, 2017 at 07:39

    I am very disappointed that one of the locations for displaying women veterans art is NOT going to be in Washington, DC. How were the cities/sites selected that could have missed the Nation’s Capital?!?

  2. Kim luskKi January 23, 2017 at 16:50

    Hi i am a disabled vet. This is the first time hearing a of the womans vet program i live in ebraska now but moving to rapid city south dakota do they have any programs like that there and would like to know move info about women vets

  3. Darlene p. Norman January 23, 2017 at 00:47

    Greetings. I too am a disabled veteran who paints. I was given the flyer for submissions the week prior to deadline. Just so happened I was at the women’s clinic for an appointment. The nurse told me about it. If this is an annual submission I am willing to take the lead to make sure other woman veterans in the panhandle of Florida get the word. Let’s talk, tell me how I can help. Point of contact, whatever I need to do to ensure all of our sisters know here.

  4. Melody Frye January 22, 2017 at 23:04

    I am a little frustrated with this announcement. I live in Portland, Oregon and when I became homeless in 2014 one of the things that helped me focus on recovery was my art therapy class through the Returning Veterans Project. Two years later I have my own apartment and am going back to college. I did not hear about this until today when I opened this email. Also, I noticed that there is not one west coast viewing. I dont believe that this event was fairly distributed. Makes me sad.

  5. Julonda Ketron January 22, 2017 at 05:11

    I am a disabled woman veteran. Can you tell me when and how the art work is submitted for consideration for The Veterans Women Artist Project/Program? It seams to be a well kept secret. The Oklahoma City Veteran Hospital did not promote this activity.

  6. Crystalann S. Duarte January 19, 2017 at 15:59

    When can we expect the names of the 10 artist be announced? The website did and still does list January 15, 2017 as that big day… If I’ve missed it somehow please point me in the right direction.

  7. Joan Sullivan January 19, 2017 at 15:03

    Will there ever be a “Moving” Women’s Veterans Art Exhibit (similar to the Moving Vietnam Memorial Wall) that travels to places that do not have a permanent site? Thank you for doing this.
    Joan Sullivan, COL (ret) US Army

  8. Adele Connell Young January 19, 2017 at 13:10

    I would sure love it if the VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah were able to see one of these beautiful, award-winning artist’s creations! Seems like we can’t seem to get this sort of thing in Utah very often. Loved reading about this and seeing some of the artwork! Thanks, Adele Connell Young, COL, US Army, Retired

  9. Scott K. Abel January 19, 2017 at 11:40

    I am especially interested in the times/dates for the display to be shown at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas. I think I can take a bus there from south in Webster, and will be delighted to attend! I also hope to bring friends to view the displays as well. Thank you for your Service!

    • Linda Prichard January 19, 2017 at 16:54

      I am a woman disabled vet and I paint. How did they go about picking the women for the exhibits? I didn’t hear anything about it until just now.

  10. Jack O'Connors January 19, 2017 at 10:24

    I would like to talk with Ms. Williams to find out if we could host a Women’s Veterans Art Exhibit here in our county. I am the Director for the Seneca County Veterans Service Agency in Waterloo, NY(Birth place of Memorial Day) and also represent the veterans of Seneca Falls, NY(Home of Women’s Rights) and would be honored to present something for those that have served. Please let me know if this would be possible. Thank you

    • Michelle Stafford January 26, 2017 at 19:39

      As a veteran in your area I would love see more programs promoting female veterans in our area.

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