Expressing the emotional aftermath of war

<p>On Veterans Day on Friday, Nov. 11, 15 drawings by local artist and Vietnam War veteran Mike Dowdall will be on display in Walnut Park (weather permitting). Each drawing features characters — both soldiers and civilians, both male and female — that depict scenes from different U.S. wars, from World War II to Afghanistan and Iraq and from Korea to Vietnam.</p><p>To Dowdall, these drawings serve as his way of remembering and honoring what these soldiers have done.</p><p>“It is my way to support what they're doing, in any way I can,” he said.</p><p>Dowdall served in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1970, during which time he was a part of the siege of Ben Het for three weeks. During that period of time, he said, soldiers were under thousands of rounds of fire.</p><p>According to Dowdall, he has been drawing since he served in Vietnam, and his drawings have been as a result of recovering from the war.</p><p>As he draws inspiration from those who have served in various wars, Dowdall recalled a presentation at Santa Rosa High School from Kate O'Brian, a former nurse. O'Brian had been a triage nurse in Vietnam, and told stories about the men who were brought to their tents, who they could save and who they couldn't.</p><p>“It was evident to me that she suffered from (post-traumatic stress disorder),” he said.</p><p>Dowdall was inspired to create a portrait in honor of O'Brian's experiences in Vietnam — a portrait that he considers one of his most special. He explained that it is not an exact picture of O'Brian, but rather a likeness of what she would have looked like during the Vietnam War. The caricature depicts a nurse holding a tray with three sets of dog tags. </p><p>“Dog tags are what indicate what's been left behind after somebody passes away,” Dowdall explained.</p><p>Dowdall suffers from PTSD, and is currently participating in a study at the University of California, San Francisco on brain trauma and the impact that being in a war has on the brain.</p><p>Dowdall waited 38 years to get help — much too long of a time to wait and receive help for PTSD, he said.</p><p>“You're angry about a lot of things,” he said. “Those episodes come out: road rage and, in the workplace, you're unusually mad.”</p><p>He added that he has worked as a group volunteer for Veterans Affairs with soldiers who have been traumatized in battle for the last two and a half years.</p><p>As a commercial artist, he has done hundreds of illustrations over the years, including for his books. Dowdall has authored and illustrated four books, including “Humans,” “Biddys,” “Coots” and “Humans at Work.”</p><p>Dowdall's book, “Humans,” published in 1984, was a humorous take on the 1977 classic book called “Gnomes.” To Dowdall, he thought humans were at least as funny as gnomes.</p><p>“‘Humans' is our take on humans and how these little creatures came to this planet,” he explained.</p><p>As soldiers start returning from the Iraq War in the coming months, Dowdall hopes that the public will be aware of the new veterans and their needs.</p><p>“They may look sensational, but nobody comes back from a war unwounded,” he said. “I don't have an exterior wound. People don't think of you as being wounded, but the emotional wound that sufferers of PTSD carry around is pretty severe.”</p><p>He advises that people have empathy towards returning veterans, whether in the workplace or at home, and have that awareness that they need a little extra support. </p><p>Through his drawings, Dowdall hopes to bring awareness about what war really is.</p><p>They're meant to get across the message that war's no friendly deal,” he said. “They are sad to look at — not to make people sad, but the faces they're looking at are what people have gone through. </p><p>“The result of war can be a horrible thing,” he added. “That's all I'm trying to say.”</p><p>Dowdall doesn't want to hurt people with his portraits. Instead, he aims to remind people that their loved ones did go out and defend the country they loved. </p><p>“This is a free country and, in this world, it means a lot,” he said.</p><p>(Contact Becca Pilkington at argus@arguscourier.com)</p>