From zeruch.net.

Peter and Jennifer Damon established the Middleborough Art Gallery, but the economy has forced its imminent closure:

"When the Iraq War veteran returned to Massachusetts in 2003, he took up an old hobby, painting, to get the feel of his new prosthetic arms. But as he gained dexterity with his new limbs, Damon discovered that his artwork was more than just an exercise....In 2006, Damon and his wife, Jenn, fixed up an old building in downtown Middleborough, transforming it into exhibition space for work from Damon and other local artists....The couple will be forced to close the gallery this week...as the economy began to slump, so did sales at the gallery."

I wish I could do something for this guy right now, but ultimately all I can do is hope that his next venture (which he appears to already be planning for) is a roaring success.

"The couple will be forced to close the gallery this week, but for the former helicopter mechanic and his wife, the venture is a launching pad rather than a failure. Peter Damon said his new role as a painter has given him a platform to raise awareness about veterans' issues."

Art is often, in and of itself, a catharsis. A compulsion. It often offers more than the deceptively simple act of making "pretty pictures" and reading about someone like Peter Damon reaffirms that for some of us.