Veteran John Melillo Discuss New Cover Art & SAC Show

Eastport resident and Vietnam veteran John Melillo discusses the inspiration for this week’s cover art, “Birdwatching,” his ongoing struggles with PTSD and efforts to find solace through art, and his upcoming show and talk at the Southampton Arts Center in honor of Veterans Day.

A Chat with John Melillo

Tell me about this painting. Where is it and who are the people?

My paintings are geared towards story telling from my personal experiences growing up on the East End since the late 1940s. I am an avid fisherman 12 months a year and I’m always exploring the different topographies all over Long Island. To this day, it always amazes me the majestic treasures that we find in this little part of our world.

“Birdwatching”, my oil painting, brings us to the North Fork, Orient State Park. It is a long path of land two miles long by a half a mile wide, and it connects Peconic Bay to Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It is some of the most beautiful pristine marsh and estuary networks teaming with wildlife. I came across this most wonderful setting one day with a mother exploring its beauty with her son. It inspired me to paint this memorable scene.

Your paintings are pretty diverse, with different styles and subject matter. How do you decide what to paint and when?

I do some plein air painting and paint from photographs, either family historic or recent ones that I take all over the East End. I only paint two things, my East End heritage and pictures that I took while serving in Vietnam in 1970-72.

In reviewing those historic pictures some grab/overwhelm me in the moment. When it does, it is immediate and intense. It piques my interest that I have to paint it. So, in addition to the East End paintings, each year I like to paint a patriotic flag to acknowledge everyone who served the United States of America for the life and liberty we now enjoy.

We know painting and art became an integral part of your healing process after suffering from PTSD later in life, rooted back to your experiences in Vietnam. Where are you now in that healing process years later?

PTSD is something you don’t heal from, you just learn how to deal with it. It’s a constant battle for solace! Painting allows me to focus, be creative and more so, gives me self worth. Saying that, painting, researching subjects to paint, doing the actual process, is a constant source of dealing with my infirmity. In a good analogy, it might be: “I am a shark with no swim bladder and have to keep swimming or I would sink like a stone.” Art is in fact the same process for me. It saved my life!

Tell us about your presentation at Southampton Arts Center.

As mentioned before, my paintings are geared towards story telling. For the most part, it will be a short slide presentation of exhibiting and narrating some of my paintings growing up on the East End.

In addition, a selection of numerous works curated by SAC will also be on view. It will show my evolution as a painter, transitioning from contemporary realism to abstract realism, still using my heritage as a focal point and oil painting on much larger canvases.

As an added note, this a great way to bring the community together a few days before Veterans Day to hear my East End heritage through my art and display my patriotic flag series. SAC will be donating 50% of proceeds of the art sales from this event for the WWI Memorial Restoration Project in Agawam Park in the Village of Southampton.

Are you getting used to public speaking and doing events like this? What’s it like for you?

I have participated in numerous group events and solo shows as well as teaching veterans/military art classes to help others with their PTSD issues. It has helped me as well with my infirmity by helping them. I have learned a valuable lesson from the people that we have met:

We all have our Vietnams, be it a death in the family, an accident, bad relationship, illness, addiction, etc. In fact, three out of every 10 people have had some dramatic event that stays with them all their life. Saying that, our message to all is PTSD is something you don’t heal from — you have to learn how to deal with it. How you do this tends to define you. Self worth is the key. In other words, do something that is good for yourself. Something that gives you meaning. If you like to dance, take dance lessons. If you like to draw or paint pursue that: Sing — join a choir. Read — join a book club. Fish — go fishing! Our final message is, find something that gives you positive identity and in pursuing it is a way to solace!

Any other projects underway or shows coming up?

Our Southampton Arts Center event is on Saturday November 9 at 2 p.m., at 25 Jobs Lane in Southampton. It’s a free event for all.

In addition, we’re presently featured as a solo exhibit at the Hampton Bays Library for the month of November. On Wednesday, November 13 from 6-8 p.m. at Barrila’s Pastaria Restaurant in Riverhead, I am doing an Art/Eat event with two other artists. Also, I am the exclusive artist for Starbucks in all the Hamptons with my family heritage-inspired paintings that match each location. We’re now planning Art & Sip events at each location.

We are currently researching galleries on the East End that would be suitable to showcase our bodies of work for the new year.

What would you like to paint that you haven’t tried yet?

I would like to do more plein air painting that captures the majestic sea and landscapes of the East End.

Anything else you want to add?

Please visit my website artfeelingsjm.com and follow my Instagram @artfeelingsjm. Join my newsletter so we can include you in future events.

I want to personally thank Oliver and all at Dans Papers for supporting veterans and allowing me to share my story.