North Georgia veterans invited to free art therapy classes

Staff photo by Sabrina Bodon / Robert Gilliam of Rossville shows off his painting, "A Walk in the Garden." Gilliam, a retired Marine Corps statistical analyst, is hosting free art therapy classes for local veterans.
Staff photo by Sabrina Bodon / Robert Gilliam of Rossville shows off his painting, "A Walk in the Garden." Gilliam, a retired Marine Corps statistical analyst, is hosting free art therapy classes for local veterans.

Robert Gilliam has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and anger management since his return from Vietnam in the '70s.

In 1987, he began seeing a counselor at a veterans clinic in Chattanooga. He mentioned to her that he'd taken some painting classes during his Marine Corps training in Washington, D.C., and she suggested he start taking classes with East Ridge artist Brenda Wright. Since then, he's channeled his emotions into his artwork.

Beginning Feb. 27, Gilliam will share his talent and coping technique with area veterans every Thursday in a free two-hour evening art class at American Legion Post 214 in Rossville. He calls the class Paint To Slay Demons - PTSD.

While Gilliam's preferred medium is oil, he's going to start the class out with watercolors.

"The best way to help veterans is to give them a level playing field, a place where they can be relaxed and have fun. Then, it'd be easier for them to communicate with each other and myself," said Gilliam, 75. "If [fellow veterans] start talking to me about their problems, then they're helping me, because I have problems too."

He is working with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to provide a counselor so the classes can count as group therapy meetings.

Gilliam said he chose watercolors for the first couple of sessions because the technique is a little easier to master, and unlike oil which can take a couple of days to dry, watercolors will dry within a few hours.

He studied watercolors under university art instructor Wayne Wu at the Hunter Museum.

A former statistical analyst in the Marine Corps, Gilliam isn't scared to get up and teach. He once taught a class with the Civic Arts League of Chattanooga on how to paint on sand, a technique he learned from the late Wright, a 30-year art instructor who operated her own studio.

Gilliam, who also suffers from heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, bad joints and tinnitus, said painting still-life helps him to escape.

He will be joined by another local artist, Ralph Miller, who will assist with the classes and teach acrylic painting following the watercolors section.

Veterans who would like to attend can RSVP by calling Kristina Stevens at 423-855-6578.

Email Sabrina Bodon at sbodon@timesfreepress.com.

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