Veteran artist adds deeper meaning to Boorowa ANZAC Day

It was the first time in 10 years that Mike Armstrong, guest speaker at the Boorowa ANZAC Day ceremony, had worn his medals. The veteran, who served almost 25 years in the military and completed multiple operational deployments, was invited to Boorowa to speak at the town’s ANZAC Day service, bringing a message shaped by both his service and the work he now does supporting other veterans. Reflecting on his own journey and the meaning of the day, Armstrong told the crowd ANZAC Day was not only about remembrance, but about the values it represents. “I believe ANZAC Day is, above all, a day of remembering,” he said. “But it is also a day that presents us with an ideal. “An ideal of service — not just in war, but in life. An ideal of sacrifice — not for glory, but for something greater than ourselves. “An ideal of mateship — of standing beside one another, especially when it is difficult," Mr Armstrong said. “These are not values confined to history … they are qualities that define who we are, and who we can choose to be.” Armstrong, a figurative artist, veteran and PTSD survivor, founded the Voices of Veterans program in 2021 after photographing veterans using molasses to explore lived experiences of PTSD. His visit to Boorowa formed part of a broader ANZAC period in the town, with his work through Voices of Veterans closely aligned with the work behind the Boorowa RSL Art Exhibition. The exhibition, running in the lead-up to ANZAC Day, featured work created through the Creative Resilience Art for Wellbeing program, led by local artist and psychologist Ang Hart. Over the past six months, the program has brought together ex-service personnel and their families to explore art as a way of building connection, sharing experiences, and supporting wellbeing. Armstrong also spoke over lunch at the exhibition, further reinforcing the connection between his work and the local program. His work reflects a similar focus, using creative expression to help returned service personnel give form to experiences that are often difficult to put into words. By bringing both together during the ANZAC Day period, Boorowa created an opportunity for the community to not only commemorate service, but to better understand the experiences that continue long after it.