Art in Service: Military Families Create

Military and veteran-connected families share common experiences yet also have diverse stories and identities: they are moms, dads, partners, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, athletes, superhero fans, mountain climbers, artists, deep-thinkers, joke-tellers, and much more.

According to the Department of Defense, in 2016 there will be approximately 1,301,300 active duty men and women serving in all branches of the United States armed forces and 811,000 reserve members. If you add to that the number of veterans of recent overseas conflicts and the children, partners, and families of these service members and veterans, you can begin to imagine the huge community of people in the U.S. who face the challenges, sacrifices, and triumphs of life connected to the military.

We then look to our local communities to create opportunities for support and resilience development for military and veteran-connected families. How can art help us be resilient in the face of change, or learn about ourselves and others? This exhibit celebrates a group of local military and veteran-connected families who came together at The University of Arizona Museum of Art to explore, ask questions, learn new skills, and create art together.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website