By Julia Fennell ’21, Colorado College Writer & Editor
The FAC has been giving back to the local military community since 2009, when they first offered Military Artistic Healing classes to members of the military, including active military, their spouses, and veterans. More than 15% of the Colorado Springs population are veterans and the FAC is proud to honor their service, teaching and providing this group a platform to use art as an outlet for communication and self-expression.
Bemis School of Art Director Tara Sevanne Thomas MAT ’00 estimates that close to 5,000 active-duty military, veterans, and their spouses have participated in the Military Artistic Healing classes over the years.
“Many participants have repeated the class for years,” Thomas says. “Some say this is the only therapy that works for them.”
Thomas started the program with art therapist Kim Nguyen, who was working for Pikes Peak Behavioral Health Group. The program was originally called Military Creative Expressions and Thomas and Nguyen partnered with the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Carson. The services were initially covered by TriCare Insurance, but the two quickly discovered that using insurance was a roadblock for some participants as it required interested members of the military to get a referral first. Additionally, some prospective participants didn’t want to be in the behavioral health system. After some reflection, Thomas and Nguyen decided to run the program without insurance, which meant they had to fund it themselves through donations and grants.
Nguyen started teaching virtual Military Artistic Healing during the pandemic, and the in-person classes at Bemis are now taught by Tina Reyero, who has facilitated expressive arts projects with veterans, hospice, and memory care populations since 2013. Reyero uses Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to support group cohesion, creative thinking and strengthen listening skills whilst engaging with art in the museum galleries.
“Inspiration from art observation and group engagement translates into more ease, safety and comfort with engaging in art creation,” Reyero says. “As a trauma-healing focus counselor, I encourage from the start the importance of safety, comfort and openness to the setting, process and interactions with own creativity and with others. Being in a setting with other veterans and active or transitioning out of military persons enables more of an understanding for military-experienced traumas. Adding encouragement for the creative process versus outcomes or perfection allows for more challenges to come to the surface to then be explored together and in turn healing through creating and potentially sharing and processing their art with others.”
The Military Artistic Healing classes have been offered at least three times a year since 2009. Additionally, the FAC offers special activities and events throughout the year, such as creating a sculpture with military personnel and several artists to display in the Veterans Day Parade.
The idea for this program was first suggested after a conversion with then-FAC board member Vic Tise, who is former military and mentioned that there was a need for this type of program in Colorado Springs.
The Military Artistic Healing classes help the military community practice healing, connection, retreat, creativity, confidence, clarity, and calmness, which is done through the creative process. Additionally, the group can talk about their work and experiences both before and after the class and while working on the art, which can be healing and therapeutic for many.
The class instructor will often take participants to the FAC galleries to view current exhibitions and to use those works as a theme inspiration for that day.
“The instructor utilizes media and techniques that are ‘controllable’ since many of their lives are not, especially when they depart from the military,” says Thomas, who added that they are also working with the Intrepid Spirit Center at Fort Carson to create community programming for their clients. “The participants learn to use pastels, watercolors, printmaking, Zentangle, and more. We also offer ceramics courses for military only. This gives them an opportunity to process with those who may have had similar experiences or are familiar with the military culture.”
There is no charge for this program, and it is only open to military, military spouses, and retired military. Supplies are provided for all participants.
Donate to the Military Artistic Healing Program