Denise is a Registered VA Nurse that brings her WWII and Vietnam veterans to life through evocative paintings and drawings.

​

I am a retired VA RN, serving veterans for twenty years. At age 56 I began drawing portraits of my beloved patients. I am honored to have worked with these men, and seek to memorialize them for their sacrifice and survival. Drawing their portraits keeps them alive for me.

Consider my unique point of view of these heroes. They told me details of their tortured combat experiences as I cared for them as a nurse; stories rarely shared with others. As RN I was able to guide them through the very difficult challenges of VA health care. I "rescued" them from VA "mishaps". I was gatekeeper for their needs. This created deep interpersonal bonds between us.

Does the art portray these bonds? Look into their eyes... the eyes are the jumping off point...did I capture their soulful courage? For some the eyes show pain, for others the eyes show peace....

The eyes of survival and indomitable courage... some asserting deep acceptance.

A glimpse of a veteran life.  A glimpse of a nurse...
A nurse artist's life... nurtured forever by the Souls of Soldiers.

Who Rescued Who?