Art in Place
Step into our living collection of installed works—art that breathes with the wind, warms in the sun, and settles into the rhythms of the Veterans Art Garden. Each piece here is thoughtfully curated for its craft, meaning, and connection to the veteran experience, reflecting stories of service, resilience, and renewal. From forged metal to hand-selected materials, quiet stone to vibrant mosaic, these works come alive in dialogue with the landscape and the seasons.
As you explore, you’ll find photos, artist notes, and the narratives behind each installation—how it came to be, what it honors, and where it resides in the garden. For visiting artists, we’ll soon include general dimensions and site context to support proposals for our Call for Artists. Whether you’re designing, learning, or simply wandering, we invite you to linger with the details, see from new angles, and discover how art and nature together shape a place of healing and hope.
Most of Me
“Most of Me,” donated by artist Pan Pantoja of the Potentialist Workshop, suggests a soldier’s form, standing nearly 6 foot tall. The title reflects a sentiment voiced by some returning service members: “Well, most of me made it back.” Inlaid with amethyst crystals sourced in Nevada—stones long linked to healing—the work invites reflection on sacrifice, resilience, and repair.
Central Water Feature
Donated by Stan and Heidi Goodin. Anchoring the heart of the Veterans Art Garden, this circular water feature offers a quiet center of gravity. Three upright stones rise from a bed of river rock as water slips over their faces, gathering in a shallow basin before cycling back—an easy, continuous rhythm that softens the space and invites pause. Native, drought-tolerant plantings surround the stones, adding seasonal texture and habitat while echoing the natural landscape of the region.
The dedication reads, “For current and future residents of the Veterans Home and their loved ones to enjoy.” True to that wish, the feature serves as a shared place of reflection and connection—a calm landmark that welcomes visitors from every path.
FIGMO
Donated by Jim Schneider, U.S. Air Force veteran. Named for the moment service members exclaim, “Finally, I got my orders!,” FIGMO captures the surge of energy that comes with new direction. A trio of sweeping uprights lean forward as if catching a tailwind, topped with bright, signal-like squares and accented by round medallions. The playful palette and rhythmic forms suggest formation, flags, and forward motion—celebrating transition, readiness, and the next chapter ahead. This piece stands approximately 11 ft tall with a square footprint of 4′ 7″.
Melodies for the Making
The Rainbow Metallophone is an interactive feature of the Garden. A curved array of color-coded metal bars invites anyone to pick up the tethered mallets and play. Each strike releases bright, bell-like tones; simple patterns quickly turn into melodies. Set at an easy-to-reach height, the instrument encourages spontaneous duets between residents, families, and visitors—adding moments of joy, memory, and connection to the garden soundscape.
The Leaf Chime Tree is also an interactive feature of the Garden. Shaped like a stylized sapling, this percussive “tree” carries a vertical cascade of metal leaves. Tap or brush the leaves to create shimmering tones that echo the breeze and rustle of nearby plantings. Part sculpture, part instrument, it blends nature and play, offering a gentle, hands-on invitation to pause, listen, and make music together.
Together, these sound sculptures bring a living acoustic layer to the Veterans Art Garden—part play, part meditation—welcoming all to compose a few healing notes of their own.
Wildlife Captured on Metal
Nevada Wildlife Panels (patinated metal screens). Cut in lyrical silhouettes and finished with a living patina, these companion panels depict native Nevada scenes—wild horses on open slopes, a desert bighorn at rest, sage and grasses, and a raptor in flight. As sunlight moves across the day, the perforations cast shifting shadows that ripple over the ground, echoing wind and terrain.
Installed along the staff terrace, the panels offer gentle privacy for the break area while keeping the garden open and welcoming. They frame views rather than block them, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the artwork and landscape without distraction—quiet partitions that honor both respite and community.
