Sergeant therapeutically paints through PTSD healing process

Photo By Lance Cpl. Andrea Cleopatra Dickerson | Sgt. Shane P. Santelli, a motor transport chief with 2nd LAAD Battalion, displays one of his most recent paintings. In the painting a Marine is depicted going through a struggle. At the bottom, the devil who represents PTSD pulls the Marine in a downward direction. Meanwhile, St. Michael pulls the Marine upward.  

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, UNITED STATES

04.03.2012

Story by Lance Cpl. Andrea Cleopatra Dickerson 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - On the outside looking in, Sgt. Shane P. Santelli is an outspoken, motivated Marine. On the inside, he is a creative soul striving to reach the masses using his talents as an artist to help others going through struggles similar to his post–tramatic stress disorder.

Santelli, a motor transport chief with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, sustained a traumatic brain injury while on patrol in Delaram, Afghanistan, in 2010.

“I sustained a TBI from an improvised explosive device blast,” he said.

While recovering from his injuries, Santelli sought a creative outlet to help him deal with his injuries, and he identified painting as an outlet to express himself.

“I literally just picked up a brush and started painting,” he said.
But Santelli isn’t a stranger to art. Even though he’s been only painting since October, he’s been drawing since high school.

“The way he portrays his feelings on canvas is therapeutic to him,” said Lt. Col. Joel A. Burdette, commanding officer of 2nd LAAD Bn.

Burdette shares Santelli’s love of abstract art. “I like his work because a lot if it is exceptionally abstract,” he said. “His work often has meanings that are two or three layers deep. He takes his work very personal, and when you look at his paintings you can see how he struggles with things.”

Burdette says that there is one of Santelli’s paintings in particular that he really enjoys. In the painting a Marine is depicted going through a struggle. At the bottom, the devil who represents post traumatic stress disorder pulls the Marine in a downward direction. Meanwhile, St. Michael pulls the Marine upwards. Burdette says he is mesmerized every time he sees the painting.

Santelli named the piece ‘The Ultimate Struggle,’ and said the canvas encapsulates his whole reason for painting.

“It depicts my struggle with PTSD,” he said. “You may not even notice you have it until something happens and you really see PTSD for what it really is. When you suffer from it, there are things that happen to you mentally that you just can’t explain.”

“Sgt. Santelli donated five of his paintings to Cherry Point’s Officer Spouses Club’s Time, Talent and Treasure Auction,” said Burdette. “All of his pieces were sold at the auction, and 70 percent of the proceeds from his paintings were given to 2nd LAAD."

Donating his paintings was his way of giving back by doing something he enjoys, said Santelli.

Santelli recently started his own art studio, based out of his house. Fifty percent of the proceeds of his paintings are donated to military friendly organizations. He is also sponsored by the Graffiti of War Project, an organization that promotes unconventional art created by military members.

“I hope he gets the gratification from seeing how much people really enjoy his art work,” Burdette said. “I can only imagine how rewarding it must feel to know that people want to hang his artwork in their house.”

Burdette said he’s inspired by Santelli’s creativity and passion.
“Believe it or not, Santellli was actually going to be a professional chef,” he said. “He is a fantastic chef, but I think he is now realizing that his creativity lies more so in his art work. I encourage him and support him in all of his endeavors. His expression through art is something that people can really relate to and appreciate.”
Santelli says that his goal is to help inspire those who are suffering to find their own creative outlets.

“Art therapy really does help, whether you have artistic abilities or not,” he said. “Throwing paint on something allows you to just release some of the pain and torment you might be feeling. I want to be able to bring this to light.”

• Date Taken: 04.03.2012
• Date Posted: 04.12.2012 13:41
• Story ID: 86649
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NC, US