Art exhibit by veterans explores 'Imagery & Memory' at the Fine Line gallery

In 2021, the Kavanagh Gallery at Fine Line Creative Art Center had a gallery show called the "Healing Power of Art."

The show was filled with work from 30 artists whose work looks at the way art can heal.

One of the artists' taking part was Christina Helferich-Polosky.

Helferich-Polosky, a retired major in the U.S. Army, had three pieces of art in the show looking at the female perspective of military service.

When Helferich-Polosky brought her work into the gallery, staff and volunteers at Fine Line heard the stories behind her art and how helpful art had been in her own journey.

It was from this meeting that the idea of a show focused on "Veterans' Art" was formed.

Helferich-Polosky had already created a free online gallery cooperative, WoundedNotWorthless.com for female military, veterans and wounded artists like herself.

The team at Fine Line asked her if she would be willing to reach out to some of those artists and see if they, along with her, would want their work on display in a gallery show for veterans.

Luckily for Fine Line, many of them wanted to take part.

In the meantime, Carol Kazwick, the gallery curator at Fine Line, had a chance encounter with another veteran, Steve Kosh.

Kosh, who grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago, joined the Navy at 17 after graduating high school early.

During his service, he learned how to weld, which was instrumental in allowing him to establish a career as a union ironworker and create metal art.

With Kosh's connections to other veterans in Illinois, the second group of artists came together.

The result is a gallery show titled "Veterans' Art - Imagery and Memory."

Featuring sculptures and wall art by over 20 artists, the work is a view of life both in and out of service.

"Veterans' Art - Imagery & Memory" is open to the public Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 19.

There is never an admission fee to see the art displayed at the Kavanagh Gallery at Fine Line Creative Arts Center, 37W570 Bolcum Road, just west of Randall Road in St. Charles.

For information, visit fineline.org or www.facebook.com/finelinecreativeartscenter/.