Elsa Report post Posted March 23, 2011 I am so excited! My first saddle just qualified at the Local Level Portland VA Medical Center) and has been submitted for entry at the National Level of Competition in Applied Arts; Leather Carving/Tooling in the Department of Veterans Affairs Recreational Therapy 2011 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. http://www.va.gov/op...n/caf/index.asp It is wonderful to be able to participate in the Recreational Therapy Program doing Leatherwork and exciting to be able to be included in the 2011 Festival. Won't know 'til May if I will be included at the National Level, but it's nice just to participate. I just had to share this and the great programs the VA (with support through Veterans Service organizations like the American Legion) makes available to Veterans - let's hope the budget cuts don't affect much needed and appreciated therapy programs! I would like to be able to be involved in the Horses for Heroes program - http://www.narha.org...rses-for-heroes - helping Disabled Veterans through therapeutic riding programs. Helping fellow Disabled Veterans is one of my goals. Thanks! ~ Elsa Information about the Festival: (From the VA) *About the Festival* Nationwide, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help Veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. Across the country each year, Veterans treated at VA facilities compete in a local creative arts competition. This competition includes more than 53 art categories that range from oil painting to leatherwork and even paint-by-number kits. In addition, there are 120 categories pertaining to all aspects of music, dance, drama and creative writing. The creative writing division is a more recent addition to the competition and includes original works in poetry, essay, short story, and personal experience writing. A national selection committee chooses first, second and third place winners among all of the entries. Select winners are then invited to attend the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival each year. In 2010, 3,625 Veterans from 123 VA facilities entered the competition nationwide, with 143 of the medal-winning Veterans earning an invitation to participate in the 2010 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, hosted by the VA Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin. This year the event takes place October 17-23 in Fayetteville, Arkansas hosted by the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks. The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is a week of learning, exploring, fellowship and celebration of the healing power of the arts. Because the gold, silver or bronze medal winners are already selected to participate in the Festival, there is no competition at the event itself; rather, it serves as a showcase for the top national winners. During the week of the event, participants may attend classes in fine, applied and craft art, all taught by local artists. As part of the Festival, Veterans also visit a variety of local attractions including art museums and galleries, as well as other sites of interest to area visitors. The Festival event culminates on Sunday, October 23, 2011, with an art exhibit featuring all first-place art entries at the Walton Arts Center, followed by a gala stage show performance. The stage show is professionally directed with live orchestral accompaniment generously provided by the Music Performance Fund. Tickets are free and actively distributed to assure a full house for the Veterans' performance. The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is presented each year by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Help Hospitalized Veterans and the American Legion Auxiliary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted March 23, 2011 Good deal. Hope you do well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Elsa Report post Posted March 24, 2011 Thanks dirtclod! I just got copies of the photos the VA photographer took for the entries. They look great (even with a few shadows) and I'm really excited. There are so many talented artists out there that are Vets. I am honored to be able to represent Leatherworking for my area. I would love to encourage folks to offer to volunteer to teach leatherworking classes at their local Veterans Medical Center (or through AMVETS, American Legion, VFW, Elks and so on). I'm sure there would be a great interest and am certain it would be appreciated. ~ Elsa Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted March 24, 2011 Nice job on your saddle !! I bet you do well. Hope so anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
