PTSD and the Hidden Meanings in a Veteran’s Paintings

May 28, 2008 - PRLog -- “Colour Studies” is a solo art show by Red Bluff artist Phil Dynan opening at the Red Bluff Art Gallery on Friday, June 6 and running until July 11.

“The name of the show might be slightly misleading. It sounds pretty simple, but the pieces in this exhibit have a lot more meaning than the exhibit title would suggest,” says Dynan.

His canvases are large and filled with color, and they come with an assortment of interesting titles like “End of Dreams”, “Paths to the Heart”,  “PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)”, and “Inside the Hood”. Each painting seems to be open to different interpretations by the viewer.

“You could look at half of the diptych (a two part painting) entitled “PTSD” and see a wonderfully textured and vibrant part of a heart shape. Or you could look at the other half and see where PTSD starts and how in affects a veteran. Look at them together and you see the transition,” Dynan says of his work.

“I picked the topic for a couple of reasons. First, because when the VA says, a military veteran commits suicide every 90 minutes, I think it is an issue that needs to be addressed. Secondly, I picked the subject because it is one that I am very familiar with. My father had PTSD, which they called “battle fatigue” when he was in the Army. I took the brunt of his symptoms as a child and teenager. My parents gave me permission to join the Army at 17, and eventually I brought my own PTSD back with me. I’ve lived with PTSD my whole life, and the painting is just part of how I deal with it.”

“End of Dreams” is a very pretty piece, about 3 by 4 feet in size. The top third appears to be a reclining figure, but is only suggested by the build-up of white paint. The bottom two-thirds is a group of swirling dot patterns on top of a soft blended background.

“The dots represent my dreams. They diminish against the background – which is meant to represent my subconscious. The idea for this painting comes from my return to the US after being captured by Eritrean rebels in North Africa and the interrogations that followed. When I came back from the service I had lost the ability to dream and I no longer had associations with music or art that had once meant a lot to me. My father wouldn’t allow me to come home and I ended up alone in San Francisco, living in the Embarcadero YMCA, trying to forget what had happened.”

Almost as a counterbalance to these PTSD-related paintings are two large paintings, “Pathways to the Heart” and “Improv Jazz Piano”. The two pieces are each four by four feet in size, acrylic on canvas and covered with brilliant color and design.

“Improv Jazz Piano” I painted for my son. He is a pianist (who sometimes plays at the Blue Sky Room in Dunsmuir) and listening to him play is a little bit of heaven for me. I love it and that’s what the painting says,” Dynan explains.

“And there is some irony in showing the PTSD paintings and the Piano piece together. I feel like I finally broke the long chain of men in my family who felt that had to join the military. If my son was needed to truly fight for “democracy” or “freedom”, I’d encourage him, but not for “oil” in a country that didn’t even attack the US. I’m glad he won’t end up with a military related PTSD.”

There will be an Artists Reception and opening for “Colour Studies” at the Red Bluff Art Gallery, 516 Walnut, on Friday, June 6th from 5 to 9 pm. The exhibit will run until July 11th.



CONTACT: phildynan@hotmail.com   or 529-1332

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The Red Bluff Art Gallery is the one and only Art Gallery in Tehama County and is sponsored by Blue Oaks Arts. It is located at 516 Walnut in downtown Red Bluff.

Website: redbluffartgallery.com