Stories of Strength: A Gallery Showcase Worth Remembering
Yesterday afternoon, the halls and rooms of Genuine Healthcare came alive with something rare and beautiful — the creative voices of veterans and their families.
Stories of Strength, the Art Gallery Showcase co-organized by Genuine Healthcare and NeuroStride Foundation, welcomed guests on April 8, 2026, from 3:00–6:00 PM. What unfolded was more than an art show. It was a testament to what happens when service members and their loved ones are given space, support, and a wall to hang their stories on.
The Artists & Their Work
MSG(R) Gerald Hacker, US Army (Ret.) — NSF Board Member and veteran of decades of service — brought stunning watercolor and charcoal pieces that lined the hallways of the clinic. From a breathtaking giraffe portrait rendered in soft, precise detail to tender figurative work, Gerald's art carries the same steadiness and depth that defines his leadership.
SFC(R) Christopher Malubag, US Army Reserves (Ret.) — brought something truly one-of-a-kind to the showcase: intricately carved and sculpted walking canes. Each piece is a work of functional art, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship and a deep creative voice. Guests were drawn to the detail and artistry in his work — a striking reminder that sculpture can take many forms, and that veteran creativity knows no bounds.
Angela McPherson, spouse of a 24-year US Air Force veteran, contributed vibrant table paintings that added color and life to the showcase room — a reminder that military families carry their own stories of sacrifice and resilience.
MAJ(R) Griselda Hall, US Army (Ret.) showcased ceramic, fused glass, and sculpture art, including the stunning polymer clay floral tower and richly textured glass panel pieces on display in the gallery room. Her work is an embodiment of the Metamorphia program's philosophy: that healing can be beautiful, and beauty can be healing.
Rini Hall, veteran dependent and published author of the 1000 Mile Challenge coloring book (which benefited NSF), brought her book and small art pieces to the table display — a next-generation creative continuing the family legacy of purpose-driven expression.
Trista Cholski, GH staff member, contributed whimsical and joyful table art including a whimsy frog and a proud toucan — pieces that drew smiles and sparked conversation, a perfect complement to the more reflective works surrounding them.
A Space Transformed
Walking through Genuine Healthcare yesterday felt different.
The hallway that patients typically pass through on the way to appointments became a gallery corridor; giraffe portraits, pencil drawings, and framed photography inviting visitors to slow down and see. Guests gathered in clusters, pointing, leaning in, asking questions. Veterans stood beside their work and told their stories.
In the conference gallery room, a table draped in soft green held sculptures, a glass plate, Rini's coloring book, and photographs — a curated miniature world that invited touch and wonder. Small fused glass wall pieces in vivid jewel tones caught the light from across the room.
The energy was relaxed, warm, and genuinely communal.
This was not a formal opening night gala. It was a kitchen-table kind of gathering — fresh fruit on platters, people laughing in doorways, veterans reconnecting, and art doing exactly what it's meant to do: bridge the distance between what we carry inside and what the world gets to see.
More Than Art on the Walls
One of the unexpected highlights of the afternoon came when a few couples and other participants in the area joined in some brief movement warm-up demonstrations drawn from the Metamorphia program's therapeutic practice. Simple exercises of intentional breathing and partner mirroring created moments of genuine connection right there in the room.
What started as a light introduction to expressive arts therapy quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of the event. Laughter, surprise, and a little bit of vulnerable eye contact. It turns out you don’t need a canvas to make something meaningful together.
With the large group of visitors gathered, they learned the power of the hum as they all joined in a 3-6 second hum moment and hummed in synchrony. It surprised all how a simple exercise created a harmonized tune resulting in an energizing experience for all who participated.
For many attendees, it was their first glimpse into what Metamorphia actually feels like from the inside and the response was immediate. Several couples lingered afterward to ask questions. That kind of organic curiosity is exactly what events like this are designed to spark.
Why This Matters
At NeuroStride Foundation, we believe that expressive arts are not just therapeutic tools, they are dignity. When a veteran hangs their painting on a wall and invites the public to witness it, something shifts. The art says: I was here. I felt this. I made something from it.
Stories of Strength was, in every sense, a success not because it was polished, but because it was real.
We are deeply grateful to Genuine Healthcare for hosting, to every artist who trusted us with their work, and to every guest who came and looked, and listened, and stayed.
There will be more showcases. More walls. More stories. Watch this space.
NeuroStride Foundation is a veteran-led nonprofit in Olympia, Washington, providing trauma-informed mental health services, expressive arts therapy, and peer support for veterans and their families. Learn more or get involved at https://wwwneurostride.org.