THE MILITARY FAMILY: Art expression, growing form of therapy for active duty and veterans

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The term 'unfinished basement' is a misnomer in James Garofalo's house. 

Paint splatter adorns the floor and wall insulation. One window, also the subject of a strewn color or two. 

This is no forgotten space, however; this is where healing, processing, and creativity collide. This is very much a space where emotional work is being done and expressed. 

Garofalo is an Army veteran, having served from 2006 to 2010.

He joined "fresh out of high school" as an infantry member and served a chunk of time in Iraq. 

Being deployed during that time gave him a sense of purpose, he recounted. 

It also came at a price. 

"Within a very short period of time, I had lost a number of buddies to either suicide or the justice system, substance use," said Garofalo. 

To process that cost, Garofalo returned to something that gave him escape and enjoyment in high school: art. 

"Whether it's things that I've carried from my time in service to things that are currently going on in my life, art has always been a great release to get some of those emotions out and find a creative outlet to do so," said Garofalo. "The more I can let go, it tends to be more of my favorite work."

He employs a "no rules" mentality, where the artist is free to express without restriction. 

"You can kind of deviate from all the other things that exist in the world, play by your own rules, do your own stuff.  I'm inspired by weird art, so my work is reflected in the same style," said Garofalo. 

His art, along with dozens of other submissions from military and veteran artists, was displayed at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center in Pueblo, in partnership with the Mount Carmel Veterans Service Center.

It is funded in part by a generous grant from Arts in Society. 

Art is increasingly embraced as a way to process traumatic events, according to Kirsten Belaire, the Director of Behavioral Health at Mount Carmel Veterans Service Center. 

"Art is such a beautiful conduit to get externally what they've been experiencing internally, in a way that shares their message, their story, their recovery, and their hope for the future.  A lot of times, what they'll say is, 'I'm not an artist.'  But being able to use both hemispheres in the brain can be helpful in processing trauma," said Belaire. 

A craft that many in the military support realm champion. 

"Art has been a very therapeutic process for me.  It's been a space that's very near and dear to my heart for a number of years," said Garofalo. 

Both Mount Carmel and Sangre de Cristo offer arts classes for military members, veterans, and their families.  More information can be found here and here.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.