Now that it is Veterans Day, it is more important than ever to hear stories from and pay homage to the veterans of our country. Here in Sharon, the Lakeside Gallery is giving veterans the chance to bring their stories to light through art. On November 13, the gallery will be hosting an opening reception for its latest exhibit, “Through Their Eyes,” composed entirely of veteran-created works. A myriad of mediums, from photographs to paintings, will be present at the exhibit, and the event is free for all to attend.
Sharon’s Lakeside Gallery, located in the Sharon Community Center, has a long history of being a channel for artists to express themselves to the public. In the 20th century, the building’s basement was used as a theater for the Sunset Players of Sharon. When the group moved out of the center, it was remodeled to become the Adult Center and Lakeside Gallery that Sharonites know today. In recent times, the gallery hosts about 5 shows per year, with each show lasting 8 weeks. Through its events, the gallery hopes to serve as a platform for local artists and as a center of learning for Sharon residents.
“We’re a friendly gallery, and we try to include as many people as we can, but we also try to inspire people to do art as well,” said Laura Rosenspan, the director of the Lakeside Gallery. “And other than that, we try to have shows that people want to see. We try to have as many people interested in being in the show and also entertaining all the people that come through these walls so they have something pretty to look at, and something to learn from.”
While different artists may have different opinions on the purpose of art and the meaning art holds, many can agree that art is a powerful way to communicate ideas and feelings. To some, like Marine veteran Philip Dorion, who fought in the Vietnam War, art is an invaluable way to process what he has seen.
“I came out of a Catholic high school as a very naive, very protected person. When I got to Vietnam, it was a huge change. Everything changed. It’s a tremendous moral inversion. The things you see, the things you feel, the things you don’t understand, it’s just overpowering,” said Dorion. “Those kinds of thoughts, those kinds of memories, and all of that happened… It was important for me to escape, and to escape that, I’d do photography.”
Veteran Joe Blansfield, who served in Iraq as a member of an Army medical crew, adds that being able to turn his experiences into art allows him to better understand that life is not black and white, but a spectrum of emotions.
“I just try to tell the story to show the range of life,” said Blansfield. “In that experience, there are wonderful moments, and reasons and moments to celebrate, and then there’s also the gravity and the seriousness of your experience.”
Rosenspan notes that no matter the reason why these veterans choose to pursue art, it is important for viewers to look at the artworks through the veterans’ perspectives.
“Everyone has a story. And so the story from the wars is one thing, and maybe you don’t want to, you want to bury that story a little bit, but it’s still part of you. It’s always going to be part of you. So all the experience from then until now is going to color how veterans communicate their art,” said Rosenspan.
While the art at the “Through Their Eyes” exhibit carries a variety of meanings and messages, some common themes the veterans hope the audience will take away are gratitude for the community and love for the country. In Air Force veteran Robert Soffer’s typographic piece, United We Stand, the memo is undeniably clear.
“In today’s world, we find that there’s a lot of division in the United States. So part of my theme was the importance again of trying to come together as a nation, trying to find common ground,” explained Soffer.
In addition, Soffer hopes the exhibit will remind people to be grateful for their country and the ability to live the way they do today. “We take many things for granted. So I always feel it’s important to try to step back and say, ‘I appreciate what we have in this country. I appreciate what we have in Sharon,” said Soffer.
Dorian agrees, saying that the upcoming holiday gives people the opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices that veterans made.
“Many of us went through a world of garbage to ensure that our children had an opportunity … I think we forget a lot of that,” said Dorian. “Why do you have what you have? Why is this country such a great country? Why? I don’t think many people know. I’ve had many conversations with people, and we all know as veterans, too – how many people really say things like ‘Thank you for your service?’”
At the end of the day, “Through Their Eyes” is all about celebrating the veterans of the community. Each display, no matter the size or medium, highlights the successes and meaning veterans have found in their lives. As such, Rosenspan urges all Sharonites to stop by to recognize the town’s local heroes.
“The idea of the exhibit is to show the work of people and honor their service to our nation,” said Rosenspan. “[We want to] show people so we can be proud of what veterans are doing now, and they’re alive and well and able to pursue a happy life!”
