Art is not just a way to express emotions, but a way to embrace the positive and combat the negative. We mil-spouses know how military life disrupts the status quo, and our kiddos can sometimes internalize their feelings about that disruption. Art serves as a release and a constant, no matter the locale. Our kiddos paint their dreams, write words of courage, dance out frustration, meditate through music…

For March, we say hello to spring and to painter/Army-spouse Vanessa Osmon. Mil-spouses are no strangers to change, and that change can sometimes make us reluctant to start new projects, but Vanessa found a way to embrace that change and upheaval and turn it into an artistic project.

When asked to give an update on my past year, the word reminisce comes to mind - and all of the past years seemed to gather into this one.

The main focus here in Europe has been harnessing inspiration, taking the time to experiment with my art, and learning new things.

Adapting to frequent relocations has presented both challenges and learning opportunities, especially since I am not accustomed to moving so frequently. It's been a period of adjustment and growth as I navigate the unique lifestyle of being a military spouse, embracing change, and learning to build a life in various locations.

Set yourself up for success with S. C. I. E. N. C. E., a group of principles identified by Dr. Sean Young, a behavioral psychologist, to help you stick with the behaviors that power lasting change through engrained processes.

I’m proud to have finished a major creative project this year. We Leapt Into the Sky is my first science fiction novel, and I decided to share it as an illustrated serial. I’ve enjoyed improving my landscape drawing skills over the past few years, and I wanted to use this project to teach myself how to create better sci-fi illustrations…

New art adventures can begin at any point in life. Melissa Whiteford St. Clair found her voice through poetry after 30 years as a military spouse. This written/spoken artform enables her to promote social advocacy and expose racial injustice.

I’ve realized that as a military spouse, the journey of an artist becomes a canvas in itself, painted with the colors of change, resilience and adaptability. Moving from one duty station to another brings not only a change in surroundings but also a shift in studio space, access to materials and artistic routine.

I worked as a professional actress in London back when I was in my twenties. After 10 years, I decided to change direction and retrained as a teacher. When I was teaching in Singapore, I started directing children’s shows with a great friend of mine, and it took off from there! When I moved here to Panama City, I decided to see if I could continue directing…

A year ago, when I shared about Abby Maddy, I was more excited than ever to be moving in a new direction with the company. We began in January with a build-out of a studio space in our home that would allow me to work while juggling our two teenagers’ schedules. But just as I was getting the studio settled, and beginning to work on the spring launch, we received some unexpected news. On March 30, 2023, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

When we were younger we used to joke about the military divorce statistics – after nine years of marriage, we became one of them … Now my short story collection, Homefront, is about to be published by the University of Nevada Press, and it’s bringing back a lot of memories about those military years.

… I suppose you could say, I have always been a writer. But my first novel was written more as an exercise to stave off loneliness while my husband was deployed. I have always loved reading — especially a good romance. But I wanted more than just the happily ever after. I wanted some action and adventure, too. So I started writing one drawing from my experiences as an Army wife…

Wow, I can't believe it is time for my anniversary interview with the MilspoFAN blog, and so much has happened in just a year! Since my last post, I have landed an art teaching gig as a guest artist for the Anne Arundel Public Schools Art Magnet program- Apex Arts. But it was totally by accident …

Thanks for having me back on Milspofan, it's nice to say hi again. Things have been quite frenetic for us over the summer. My wife Sylvia received orders to RAF Lakenheath in England and that required us to spend a couple of months living out of our suitcases on the road. We are finally settled down in the lovely town of Newmarket, UK and things are starting to get back to normal…

I discovered Surface Pattern Design as a major while I was there, and knew that was what I was meant to do… I never imagined myself as a military spouse. I had always dreamt of working as a designer in NYC… I met my now husband at a friend’s wedding while I was working in New York. He knew the groom from the Naval Academy, and I played field hockey with the bride at Syracuse. We were both from NY/NJ area. We hit it off right away and the rest is history!

My spouse is an airborne linguist, and just before the lockdowns, he was organizing language refreshers for the linguists in his squadron. But then the WHO reported these strange pneumonia cases from Wuhan. People around us started to get sick, and the Chinese linguists began worrying. Unfortunately, I already had a compromised immune system, and in March 2020, I got sick. Real sick.

It has been a while since I have been featured on Military Spouse Fine Art Network and I have been busy! My most recent showing was at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. I was accepted as an official Coast Guard Artist for their COGAP program…

Connected to the Air Force since birth, military kid turned military spouse Kaitlyn Lake shares a bit of her life through functional and artistic pottery. In a life whose landscape is ever changing, it's comforting to feel grounded by the lovely earthen pieces.

I've been secretly writing a book since last December, and recently started a Blog on my website to document the progress. My first post - Embrace in Place (Coming Soon) - was just added and I’d love for you to follow and share! I am self publishing and that is in itself an adventure!