Art Heals Invisible Wounds

Art therapy: Clio Vietnam veteran finds healing through painting

CLIO, Michigan — A local veteran has found a way to combat his post-traumatic stress disorder — by turning it into something beautiful.

“I’m a painter,” said Ron Mann, 66, of Vienna Township. “All I want to do is paint, chill and relax.”

The former gunman of a B-Model Huey Gunship wanted to work out his unsettled feelings about the Vietnam War, so he picked up a canvas and started experimenting with abstract painting methods.

His most recent paintings are explosive bright colors and hidden representations of his take on events of the past and present. A few of his current pieces are on display downtown at the Clio Area Law Center, such as Independent Explosive Device, Warrior, First Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and Nakedness.

But when he first started painting in 1989, he concentrated solely on Vietnam, using black and white to represent his thoughts. The stark contrast between the two shades mirrored the conflict he had within himself about the war.

“Painting has been my healing tool,” Mann said. “Some people are made out of glass, other people are made out of steel, and others are made out of plastic. I was a glass guy, I shattered. So I just became an artist. Know what I mean?”

Mann speaks as abstractly, with lots of tangents and intense metaphors. He often peers over the rim of his Coke-bottle sunglasses to make sure that you do, in fact, know what he means. Sometimes he touches his long, gray beard that’s braided down the center. Other times his hands move about erratically as he travels off on the various tangents to make his points.

His paintings can be misinterpreted as chaotic and crude at first, but after a lingering stare they begin to make sense and portray his views of society.

“I never paint any art the same,” Mann said. “I couldn’t paint you or anybody, but I could paint the thought out of mind.”

Although his works have been appraised at anywhere from $900 to $50,000 a pop, Mann said he’s not in it for the money.

“Every piece of art is a child for me,” he said. “Therefore I don’t sell them. I just curate them.”

Mann has more than 100 pieces temporarily on loan with the National Vietnam Veteran’s Art Museum.

“Ron is a perfect example of the utilization of using art to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder,” said NVVAM Curator Jerry Kykisz. “Instead of using the old system, he’s unique and compelling.”

Public reaction to Mann’s work is mixed, he said.

“People say it’s everything from genius to everything down from there,” Kykisz said. “I think Ron found a way to express himself. His inspiration was reading the ink-blot test while being medicated on Thorazine. His paintings reflects that type of imagery. It’s not clear at first, but once you read the title suddenly it becomes clear.”

Most of Mann’s work travels the country in its Trauma & Metamorphosis exhibit, which initially began as just Mann’s work but has grown to include other artists.

“I’ve probably been in museums all through the United States just by the Vietnam veteran museum taking it on its tour,” Mann said.

Like his work, he’s been around the nation, too.

Mann said because of the disorder he often feels the need to jump-ship and go running. The impulse has served as a great inspiration for his work.

“When you’re traveling through the United States you get to see some amazing things and meet some of the most interesting people,” he said. “Everybody inspires me — life inspires me. I am inspired by everything.”

Through his art and adventures, Mann found satisfaction in life.

“I would feel great if I fell over dead right now. I would have no regret or remorse at all, because I have had a great life. I’ve met a lot of delicious people in this world.”