BOSTON -- After he lost both of his arms working on a Black Hawk helicopter, Peter Damon needed to prove to himself that his disability wouldn’t be the final chapter in his life.

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.

“It grew into a passion,” Damon told The Brockton Enterprise. “I fell for it hook, line and sinker,” he said.

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. Business was steady during the gallery’s first year, and Damon found that his artwork was a way, “to prove I could be of some use to society.”

“This is not a step backwards; it’s a step forward,” Damon said.

But as the economy began to slump, so did sales at the gallery.

“Last year bottomed out. People aren’t spending money and when they do, I don’t think art is No. 1 on the list,” Jenn Damon said. “Paintings are nice, but they don’t feed the kids.”

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.

“Seeing what I’m doing makes people focus on those wounded in action,” he said. “It shines the spotlight on wounded veterans, showing that they can be a success.”

Peter Damon is also hoping to open his own private studio in the next year.

Additional Resources

• See Damon's work online: www.themiddleboroughartgallery.com