Exeter artwork to help heroes charity

THE auction of a striking and poignant painting on the trauma of war will raise money for a service charity.

The  auction is the result of  a meeting between two ex-servicemen — both intent on raising the awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and raising money for ex-service personnel.

John Maclean met artist John McDermott when he was exhibiting his painting The Battle Ensign at Exeter Castle.

Mr McDermott, 52, from Countess Wear, suffers from PTSD and served in the Royal Navy for 28 years. He now produces battle-inspired art work to raise money for  charity.

Mr Maclean, 56, from Heavitree, served with the Royal Air Force for 25 years. He now treats people suffering from PTSD at Exeter’s Southernhay Clinic. He has bought the painting and it will be auctioned for Help4Heroes.

He said: “My wife and I attended the Open Studios exhibition at Exeter Castle. As soon as I walked in, I was struck immediately by John’s painting. It was incredibly moving.

“Even before he came over and spoke to us I was saying to my wife how great it would be to buy it and then auction it off for Help4Heroes.

“John came over and explained he’d been working on an exhibition to raise money for Combat Stress. I knew we were on the same wavelength and, after a further chat, we decided to buy it.

“John and I have a lot in common. We have  been to many of the same places and I now treat veterans and ex-service people suffering from PTSD as a pyschotherapist. I was lucky not to have suffered from PTSD, but I’ve seen the effects first hand.”

Mr Maclean says the next stage is to organise the auction and is appealing for an auctioneer to help.

“This is to publicise PTSD and the fact that more needs to be done for service people and civilians who suffer with it — and to raise money for Help4Heroes,” he added.

“I have seen the effects of trauma and combat in people I have worked with and treat and feel that not enough is done for people suffering with PTSD.”

The Battle Ensign is one of Mr McDermott’s most emotive pieces and signifies the temporary nature of life and how battles shouldn’t be forgotten.

He is one of the few westerners to witness the aftermath of the killing fields in Cambodia as a UN military observer. He held his first major exhibition and auction of 17 paintings in the Falklands in 2007. The event was opened by Prince Edward and money raised went towards service charities.

He said: “My exhibition in the Falkland’s reflected my own experiences of that conflict.

“Ever since then I’ve been painting works to raise awareness of PTSD and raise money for Combat Stress.

“The Battle Ensign reflects my own personal experience in the Navy, seeing some of our own ships bombed. It is a very emotional piece that signifies the trauma that can come out of an act of military duty. John immediately knew what the painting was about.”

John McDermott is about to start work on a series of paintings for a major exhibition to be held at Exeter Castle starting on Friday, June 25. The work is being produced in collaboration with a holocaust survivor. John’s work can be viewed at, www.johnmcdermottartist.com

To find out about John Maclean visit, www.newwavehypnotherapy.com