In October, the Oceanside Arts Walk, produced by the Oceanside Cultural Consortium, in businesses and vacant spaces throughout downtown Oceanside (and even extending down the coast) features 6 venues out of the total of 18 with art by veterans or art concerning the military. info@oceansideartwalk.org 760.435.3721. Some of those are continuing including the exhibition at Oceanside Public Library (330 North Coast Hwy)
I have chosen to focus on just one artist in this one location. Maurice Hewitt is a well respected photographer who is most often found illustrating the articles by his wife Lonnie Burstein Hewitt in the La Jolla Light. But in these "photopaintings" his voice is personal, humorous, poignant and humble.
Maurice is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He was seriously wounded in 1968. His body has healed but he has painful flashback even to this day. He found making these images helped his healing and hopes that other veterans might be able to relate to them and start their own healing.
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| Left Behind: This solitary leg jutting up from the sand is a real image from the war, but here is becomes surreal. |
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| Flashback: It is a bit hidden, but there is a skeleton running through the jungle in this image. Maurice claims that not drinking has helped him eliminate some flashbacks but he feels they will always be with him. |
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| Incoming:: This fantastic image represents a time when Maurice was shortly due to be sent home. It became even more terrifying to think that something could happen to you right before you would be safe. He said," I wanted to climb into my boots." Again the eyeballs starring out at you gives this a very surreal aspect. |
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