For U.S. Army veteran Tony Bunyan, discovering a love of art has been life changing.

Bunyan, 51, of Enumclaw, enrolled at Green River College last year to study art. He said his wife, Jane McElroy, inspired him to pursue his interest.

“I have always been envious of her abilities to paint and draw,” Bunyan said. “I never thought I had that kind of talent.”

But through his art courses, Bunyan has discovered he does have a talent.

He submitted three works of art to Warpaint, an art competition sponsored by Student Veterans of America. All three pieces were among the 30 finalists, finishing fifth, sixth and seventh. There were 67 submissions in the contest.

Bunyan attended the unveiling ceremony in March in Washington, D.C. He was surprised to learn his pieces had been selected as finalists.

“I was ecstatic,” he said. “I was incredibly honored. My art is beautiful to me. It is a reflection of me.”

But Bunyan didn’t expect others to appreciate his art in the same way.

“I didn’t feel like I was truly an artist and could contribute to the art world,” he said.

Although each of the three pieces Bunyan submitted are unique, they have similarities.

“I chose to go with the silhouette on all three pieces,” Bunyan said.

“Aftermath” has the silhouette of a little girl with flowers on green background with an American flag and wooden cross draped with dog tags for John and Jane Doe.

“Larger than Life” features the silhouette of a saluting service member against the background of an American flag.

For “100 Years, 100 Headlines,” Bunyan copied New York Times headlines from 1917 to the present day on velum paper, which serves as a backdrop for a silhouette of a battle cross, which consists of a fallen service member’s boots, gun and helmet.

Contest rules called for two-dimensional pieces, but an exception was made for Bunyan’s artwork which was three-dimensional.

This was the first year for the Student Veteran’s of American art competition, which was started to recognize and encourage artistic talent among post-9/11 veterans. Bunyan, who served in the Army from 1988 to 2002, plans to submit entries in next year’s competition.

“I am looking very much forward to the next contest this coming year,” he said. “It was very well organized.”

Good guidance

Bunyan is grateful to his instructors at Green River for encouraging him in his art. His instructors included, Brad Dinsmore, drawing; Matt Johnson, painting; Paul Metivier, ceramics; and Patrick Navin, photography.

“It would not have happened without the professors I have in the art department,” Bunyan said. “Not only did they show me things I needed to do, they taught me that I could do it.”

Metivier told Bunyan about the contest and encouraged him to enter.

“I strongly encouraged Tony because his art work is particularly in response to his experiences as a vet,” Metivier said in an email. “It seemed like a perfect fit for the show. At that time, I had only had Tony for a couple of quarters and I could see that he was developing quickly as an artist, developing skills quickly, and his artwork seemed to be a way for him to express himself without words. Tony is a great student because he is successful with his course work and because he is a mentor to other student vets. He really cares for those who have had like experiences in the armed forces and this passion for helping other seems to feed into his passion for art and expressing himself through art.”

Dinsmore said it was rewarding to watch Bunyan discover his love for art.

“As Tony’s drawing instructor, I saw a man dedicated to learning,” Dinsmore said in an email. “He didn’t just take a drawing class, he studied it. He didn’t just want to go through the motions or want an easy or quick result. In a way, it looks like Tony fell in love with art. And it looks like art loves him back.”

Art has helped Bunyan with his post-traumatic stress disorder and other physical ailments.

“I am taking fewer meds than I was before,” he said. “My overall well-being has improved. My health is improved. I am feeling better about myself, more relaxed.”

Getting involved in art has also encouraged him to pick up old hobbies.

“All these things got me interested in playing guitar again,” he said. “That was something I lost a long time ago.”

As a disabled, unemployable veteran, Bunyan is taking the classes to better himself. He enrolled in a degree program in order to use his veteran’s benefits.

He plans to continue his art as a hobby and hopes to have an art studio with a ceramics kiln built in his new home in Everett, where he and his wife will be moving to be closer to their children.