After sixteen years of military service, veteran and artist Ron Kelsey discovered that combat doesn’t end on the battlefield. His art piece, War and Peace, depicts his personal journey towards recovery, as he continues to fight war’s scars through PTSD and other disabilities. Over ten years ago, Kelsey founded Reflections of Generosity (RoG), a traveling art exhibit that raises awareness for PTSD, military trauma, and veteran suicide.
While he traveled to multiple bases, including the Pentagon and West Point, sharing his personal story of being medically retired, other veterans and their family members spontaneously gifted their art to RoG. The collection grew to seventy works, with artists from seven different countries. RoG highlights the soldier’s concerns, both on and off the battlefield, and honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
As RoG expanded, Kelsey started free art workshops for service members and veterans with an emphasis on positive release. He also wrote his first book, Reflections of Generosity, outlining his journey from soldier to artist. Kelsey’s work helps veterans and service members to experience restoration and healing—promoting generosity through art.
War and Peace
War and Peace represents the IR flag that every American soldier wears throughout combat. As soldiers return home from war, the dark flag embodies the disappearance of the America they once knew. The light flag represents the personal cost of war upon every soldier’s life, like the PTSD some endure. After a one-year deployment to Iraq, I found healing by facing my war scars and unifying the dark, broken pieces, like the joining of the black and white flags.
The challenges of war are not only experienced by soldiers; war’s aftermath and sorrow affect all of us. At this juncture in our nation’s history, War and Peace serves as a facilitator of healing and restoration. When we reclaim peace among life’s ruins—by forgiving others—we generously share hope and strengthen our culture.
Our new type of ArtPrize venue gives veterans a voice as they share their stories of struggle and healing through art.
War and Peace is showcasing at Veterans Memorial Park
A special thanks to Kent County Veterans Services, Zero Day, Finish the Mission, West Michigan Veterans Coalition, and Healing in Arts for making this collaboration of veteran stories possible.
