Columbus artist Suzanne Shea Gallagher is using her studio at 700 Bryden to spotlight the mental‑health challenges faced by U.S. military service members and veterans. Her ongoing “Smile Lines” project will feature 52 portraits of veterans, each displayed alongside a brief testimonial that emphasizes personal resilience.
Origins of the project
The idea began while Gallagher was painting a portrait of a veteran who had served in Lebanon as a teenager after the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut. The veteran shared how post‑deployment PTSD struck him hard, noting that “when he was in, there were 200,000 Marines who had his back; when he was out, he felt vulnerable and alone.” He introduced Gallagher to the statistic of 22 veteran suicides per day, a figure derived from a 2012 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) analysis of suicide data from 21 states.
More recent VA reports show a slight decline, with 6,488 veteran suicides in 2024—an average of 17.7 deaths per day—up from 6,398 in 2023. Gallagher uses these numbers as a sobering backdrop for her work.
How the portraits are created
Each participant is identified only by a first name and last initial, preserving anonymity while allowing the individual to smile for the painting. Gallagher captures the “smile lines” as a visual reminder that hope can emerge even after trauma. The process can be emotionally intense; many subjects break down in tears while recalling their service, mental‑health struggles, and thoughts of suicide.
“I don’t think we talk about death enough. I don’t think we talk about mental health enough,” Gallagher said. “These are 52 volunteers who are willing to start that conversation.” The project also includes active‑duty service members, recently discharged veterans, and those who have passed away from service‑related injuries such as Agent Orange exposure.
Community support and upcoming events
Gallagher is hosting a fundraiser for “Smile Lines” at the Hey Hey Bar and Grill on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. She recently launched a website documenting the portraits and stories, inviting the Columbus community to view the exhibition as it tours local venues.
Veterans featured in the project have offered their own reflections. Navy veteran Kenny R. wrote, “the most important thing is to fight the ship, not to go down with it,” urging fellow service members to stay the course. Marine veteran Chris W. expressed the heavy personal toll of his service, saying, “I shouldn’t be alive…what I lived through,” and emphasized the need to make peace with the past.
Personal impact on the artist
Gallagher says the project has also helped her heal. She has endured a divorce, the loss of both parents, and the closure of her Parsons Avenue gallery, the Roscoe Room. “The gallery showed me what I could do when I wasn’t being yelled at,” she explained, noting that the resilience of her subjects gave her strength to move forward. She is now in a new relationship with “an amazing partner” and continues to travel with the “Smile Lines” exhibition to raise awareness of veteran suicide.
“When I started, I was like, I’m not good with this, and I’m going to try and do something,” Gallagher said. “And with it, I’ve realized I have some power.”
Original reporting: Matter News (Columbus) — read the source article.
