VA Art Exhibit ~ 2015.12.11

Please join us in the Fort Miley Auditorium (Bldg. 7, Room 112) in San Francisco to celebrate the Worlds AIDS Day through a display of veterans' artwork, photography, and poetry. There will be guest speakers, booths, snacks, door prizes, community resources, and many special presentations for all attendees to enjoy. All Veterans and staff are welcome!

Over the last ten years I have signed up for various research projects at the VA Medical Center and by now have done over 40 projects. The staff knows that I am available for any type of research they may have on the books. SFVAMC has the largest funded research program in the Veterans Health Administration in the country with $90.2 million in research expenditures as of 2015.

This wasn't a research project but was in a a way, used to motivate veterans to perhaps participate in some type of hobby to ease their physical and mental issues. Many told me after the exhibition how working on a project took their minds off their pains.

I was visiting my Primary Doctor when I was approached by Mai, who works with the Pharmacy Unit. She told me they were celebrating World AIDS Day on December 11, 2015, and knew that I started oil painting when I retired.

She asked me if I would participate in the VA Hospital art exhibition for veterans and gave me an invitation to exhibit my paintings. There will be veterans participating with paintings, photography, and poetry. I said of course, anything to honor veterans.

There is a breakfast and at 9:30 a.m., speeches and if one wants to, talk a little about one’s hobby. This may give individuals an idea of the different hobbies they can take up to encourage them to find new ways to cope with health problems.

After the the exhibition, lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. to celebrate veterans and their service to the country.

The VA had a great setting for the various artist and their works. The tree was gorgeous.

Breakfast was set up at the entrance and coffee, croissants, fruits and xxx were served.

There were many speakers and we learned a great deal about what was going on with AIDS advancements. One very interesting fact was in San Francisco, about 9,000 women who were HIV Positive and healthy, had babies with little or without the HIV virus. I believe most of the time when a baby when born, they were put on a regiment of AZT and within six weeks the virus was gone. This type of service is carried on by the San Francisco General Hospital.

There were many more speakers to discuss their role in managing HIV patients and some had been at the VA since 1988! They really have a knowledge about HIV and related illnesses!

The audience then was asked to view the art work and discuss with them, something about their works.

Afterwards, the VA had a luncheon for the Veterans who displayed their art works, all in all, a nice day.


Chuck Buntjer - Basis Training 1st Platoon - 1963 - Fort Knox Kentucky	San Francisco Presidio Computer Center - 1964


Chuck Buntjer - Oil Painings		Carl Kerwick - Poetry & Water Colors


Rex Bishop - Poetry & Pencil - Lead and Color		Felicia A. Elizondo - Vests & Quilts


Joel Hoyer - Basket Weaving & Mixed Media		Kennethe Jones - Pen & Ink


Mixed Media & Resin Figures		Maartin Freeman - Pen & Ink - Sculpture