Artist Hugh paints a brighter future for himself
Art has helped Army veteran Hugh to paint a brighter future for himself and to encourage others to draw strength from their service and move forward.
‘I injured my shoulder in 2018 and was in and out of surgery for the next 2–3 years,’ he explained. ‘Before my discharge in 2021, I really hadn’t seen an end to my military career.’
After he left the Army, the former member of 6th Transport Squadron, who had achieved his dream job driving a Bushmaster, missed the structure and discipline of military life and struggled with his own loss of identity.
‘I would find it hard to get out of bed before 2 pm,’ he recalled. ‘I felt numb because I believed I had nothing to achieve.’
Hugh said his life began to improve after he took up acrylic painting with the help of YouTube.
‘It changed everything for me,’ he said. ‘I bought some cheap paints and a canvas, and it was like time froze. I started to create something that was my own fingerprint and even though it was trial and error at the start, I went on to watercolours and then started to sell my art.’
Four years on, the self-taught artist is working to expand a start-up business to help veterans find purpose after service. He has conducted free art classes via his Oura gallery near Wagga Wagga and continues to volunteer to help veterans in the wider community.
‘It’s hard for some veterans to begin a new life,’ Hugh said. ‘That’s why it’s important for veterans to talk to veterans who’ve been there and done that.’
Hugh, who has also been a Veteran Artist-In-Residence at the Anzac Memorial in Sydney’s Hyde Park, has also completed Soldier On’s “March On” challenge, walking 96 km from Wagga Wagga to Gundagai to support veterans’ mental health.
‘There is a turning point in everyone’s life, and I am doing my best to help make a difference,’ he said.