ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – An exhibit showcasing the creativity of Upper Peninsula service members is now on display at the Bonifas Arts Center.
More than 15 veterans and military family members submitted art for the second More Than a Uniform show. Pieces were made from mediums like metal and woodworking, painting, LEGO building, and pottery.
“This show happened in 2023, and I had a lot of individuals requesting to have it again,” said Bonifas Gallery Director Kate Oman. “We have a lot of veterans who have a lot of artistic talents.”
The upper gallery features some of the quilts made for the women who flew on the all-female U.P. Honor Flight in May. There is also a scrapbook filled with memories from the trip.
Much of the subject matter found in More Than a Uniform is heavier than what is usually found at the Bonifas. Oman says the exhibit highlights the experiences of veterans and gives them an opportunity to work through the difficult memories and emotions many feel after coming home.
“Veterans have a different view on life than most of us,” she said. “Some are using art as a way to get through the hard times, and others use it as an escape. You can kind of see that in the exhibit here. The art is a way for them to express themselves.”
More Than a Uniform will be on display through October 16. All Bonifas Arts Center exhibits are free to view during business hours, which can be found at bonifasarts.org.
The Bonifas will also hold a free therapeutic art workshop for veterans on Monday, September 15, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees will create two masks, one representing the face shown to others and one representing what a person holds inside. Click here for information on this and other workshops.
