A Minnesota PBS Initiative
From Pain to Peace
Justice Flag 6 by Galen Brown
4th Amendment by Galen Brown
We saw an incredible message in his art hat we couldn’t keep to ourselves. We saw a transformation from pain to peace in his life.
Galen Brown, a U.S. Marine Vietnam War veteran, was wounded in Hue in 1968. "When he came home from the war it took him months to recover from his injury but it took him much longer to heal what was inside of him," says Kay Brown, his ex-wife who is the curator of the Galen Brown Art Collection.
Galen was fortunate to create and use art for healing. When he passed in 2013, he left over 100 pieces of art to his children. His art spoke to his children and to Kay: "We saw an incredible message in his art hat we couldn’t keep to ourselves. We saw a transformation from pain to peace in his life."
Many Vietnam vets came to the "Shapes and Shadows" retrospective of his artwork that illustrates his journey of transformation. Kay says, "Some cry and some think about what is under the surface in their own life."
Recovery 7 by Galen Brown
Galen A. Brown, USMC, Vietnam, 1967
Biographical Details
Submitted From: Eagan, MN
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Dates of Service: 1967 - 1968
View more artwork in Kay's story "What Am I Going to Do With All This Art?" Kay's story was captured with the help of TPT's Minnesota Remembers Vietnam team in 2018.
Images below are from the "Justice Flags" exhibit at the Dow Art Gallery in St. Paul.
Justice Flags Exhibit
Story Themes: Art, Family, Galen Brown, Hue, Painting, PTSD, Therapy, Video
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