In downtown Damariscotta, between Chapman & Chapman Insurance and Renys, is The Peace Gallery, a veterans’ art collaborative. Photos by Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

Nestled between Chapman & Chapman Insurance and Renys in downtown Damariscotta lies The Peace Gallery, a veterans art collective. 

Acrylic paint mosaics by Zandra Sneed-Dawkins, a multidisciplinary artist with 24 years of experience in the Coast Guard.

Since opening in 2022, crafts have taken over the shelves, featuring the work of over 20 veterans, most of whom have served since Sept. 11, 2001. Bernie DeLisle, the founder, said the space was designed to give those who served an outlet to cope with the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life. It has since expanded to include many programs, from music performances and mental health talks to yoga, qigong and tai chi. 

DeLisle has found the endeavor a gratifying retirement hobby. While some artists have a longstanding interest in the field, having been featured in places like the Smithsonian, others got into the craft later in life. Regardless, he highlighted that “art has allowed these men and women to process their past and reconnect with long-suppressed emotions.” 

Growing up in a family of World War II Marine Corps veterans, DeLisle’s father served in Guadalcanal while his mother worked stateside. He always knew, when it came time, he would enter the military. After serving from 1968–1972 himself, including a brief stint in Vietnam as a helicopter crew chief, DeLisle took advantage of the GI bill and attended Providence College.

Many business endeavors later, he moved to Maine with his wife and five children and, later in life, opened an art shop. During the pandemic, the lease where The Peace Gallery now exists went up for grabs, and DeLisle swooped in.

“There wasn’t a plan on paper; all we knew was that we wanted to incorporate art and public programming to support local veterans,” DeLisle said. “It has evolved in an organic, spontaneous way. Looking back, it was worth the risk entirely.”

Prints by Ken Smith, a renowned photographer who spends summers capturing wildlife shots along Maine’s coast.

It all started on Deer Isle

According to DeLisle, The Peace Gallery is directly influenced by his experience attending the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts on Deer Isle. At the time, his son worked at the school and encouraged him to attend the free retreat. Despite his trepidation, he went for it. 

The program included 30 participants of varying experiences, only two of whom (DeLisle included) served in Vietnam. There were various art sessions with clay, metal and wood. One activity involved cutting up old uniforms and using the fabric to make journal paper.

“Not everyone there was a conflict veteran, but it didn’t matter,” DeLisle said. “We talked while we worked, which took the pressure off things — not having to make eye contact.” 

Bernie DeLisle opened The Peace Gallery in 2022 to “create a space for veterans to foster community and cope with the challenges of reintegrating into civilian life.”

When opening The Peace Gallery, DeLisle resorted to research and cold calls, finding it hard to track down veteran artists since support groups are often insular — “you hear about them through word of mouth,” he said. Three years later, things changed. Now, veterans nationwide reach out to be included; the space features work from Mississippi, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

The upper gallery, on a raised platform, features an year-round exhibition. Last year’s focus was on women veterans, and this year’s spotlighted a retrospective by Murad Sayan, an oil-based painter.

As a nonprofit, The Peace Gallery relies on volunteers. Roughly 25% of sales go toward rent, utilities and insurance; the rest goes to the artist. 

It costs community members $25 to rent the space. In the past, it has been used for memorial services, drug abuse programs, yoga, Pilates and spiritual teachings. The only stipulation is that the facility is alcohol-free and refrains from political or religious gatherings. 

“One of the reasons we added in crafts was to make things more accessible,” DeLisle said. “Some pieces cost thousands of dollars. When people resonate with a cause, they want to give, but it’s not practical to expect grand gestures. We offer slate coasters and ceramic mugs for $10-$20 and keep a wooden bowl in the back for people to chip in spare cash.” 

Redefining the spaces that hold art

A case of freshwater pearl rings by Bernie DeLisle.

Most art galleries are like libraries. You walk around quietly and scope out what’s offered. The Peace Gallery is not like that. Visitors are expressive and communicative. Flipping through the guest book by the entrance, you will see proof of just that — hundreds of friends who still stay in contact today.

“I wasn’t prepared for the outpouring of emotion,” DeLisle said. “People share stories about their fathers, brothers, sisters, wives and husbands who served. At first, I’d get exhausted from sitting with that energy. But now I just listen. … I’ve learned that’s all people need: reassurance from someone who understands.” 

As DeLisle said, “honor isn’t contingent on some hero requirement.” He acknowledged that when you enlist, it doesn’t matter what branch you’re in or if you never make it beyond stateside. You could be sent into an active war zone at any moment. 

“You look at the statistics — 22 veteran suicides a day — and you realize how important it is to focus on holistic health [mind, body and spirit],” DeLisle said. “Art offers a reprieve from years of structure, a change to figuratively let your hair down. And it’s a healthy pathway. It fosters a sense of wholeness without the use of substances.” 

To donate or to stay up-to0date with upcoming events, visit thepeacegallery.com.