A veteran of military service, the U.S. Navy, and of the first Iraq war, Mike Kudebeh suffers from chronic physical and mental pain. More significantly post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To help him deal with his PTSD, his therapist has recommended he find outlet. Something that would allow him to focus his mind on something else. That focus came from a call in early February.Kudebeh plays pool at The Wooden Keg. During his time there, Wooden Keg proprietor Nancy Heng learned that the vet was an artist. But not one of the traditional kind. Kudebeh has experience as a tattoo artist.  But Heng wanted someone to paint a mural in the bar and she figured Kudebeh to be the person to do it. So she gave him a call. At first Kudebeh was reluctant. Especially after coming and seeing what Heng had in mind-a mural that depicts wooden kegs lying in arched windows.  “I was worried it was a bigger job than I could handle,” said Kudebeh.But he was determined. Besides, he figured if he could do tattoos surely he could paint a wall.“I figured if I could do living art I should be able to do art on the wall,” he said. So the artist set about researching how to accomplish this task. Especially on the prep these walls would need to hold the paint. “Because of the grease from cooking food and the smoke for the bar atmosphere on the walls, I needed to know if the paint would stick,” he said.After the research was done the only thing left for Kudebeh to do was to begin.  He started by sketching the design on the wall. Tweaking things here and there to fit the image Heng had found on paper and the vision he had in his head. The work is slow goings. Doctor appointments and pain have sideline the eager artist at times. “Nancy (Heng) is patient with me and allows me to work at my own pace,” he said.At current he estimates that e has more than 40 hours of work invested into it.“The whole thing has been very therapeutic,” he said, “It has been a challenge. A challenge to make each barrel look more realistic than the last.”The goal, he said, is to create the illusion that you could reach out and touch them. Kudebeh has two people, Brandy Newbanks and Michael A. Kudebeh assisting him with the project. With them he has learned how to teach.“I have been able to teach them how to adjust for depth, patience, and technique,” he said.   The opportunity to teach allows him to work with younger generation and has been very rewarding, he said.“Both of these young ladies are very talented and this is allowing to expand their artistic horizons at a young age,”  he said. Although there is no completion date in sight yet, Kudebeh is not concerned. Instead he is embracing the opportunity to be creative. “I am doing something creative that allows me to see a better side of myself.”