In a quiet corner of the College of the Redwoods campus, veterans gather twice weekly to shape and mold clay in a ceramics program customized for them. As rhythmic thuds of hands pressing and slapping clay at workstations fill the room, the warmth radiating from the class transforms a standard ceramics studio into a safe space for those who share the experience of having served in the military. At the heart of this initiative is its lead instructor, Joe Fox, a U.S. Air Force veteran and College of the Redwoods alum, who felt the therapeutic power of ceramics personally and decided he needed to share it.
Fox created this sanctuary through his love of art, which he discovered during his own recovery, initially having approached clay as an experiment.
“I’ve been a woodworker and carpenter all my life,” Fox says. “I thought, ‘I’ve never done ceramics, I can do that.'” But what he found went beyond his expectations.
“I practiced mindfulness techniques with the clay,” he says. “I realized that working with clay without an expectation was very healing.”
The hands-on experience — sculpting, shaping and reimagining raw material — became a tool for his healing. Driven by his own experience, Fox collaborated with Shannon Sullivan, a professor of art at the college, and Jackie Vasquez, his assistant ceramics instructor who has a background in expressive arts therapy. Together, they’ve cultivated a space every Tuesday and Friday at the community college where veterans can find community, relief and, perhaps most importantly, connection. The program was founded in March of 2022 and, in Fox’s words, is an “experimental art class,” giving him a chance to combine his knowledge of behavioral science and addiction studies with his newfound love of ceramics to connect those with similar experiences.
“We just provide space for people to create together,” Fox says, stressing the importance of community over curriculum, adding that the class has become a place where people not only craft art but also build connections and rediscover their inner strength.
Fox didn’t answer questions about the personal challenges that led him to find healing in ceramics, but said he searched for years to find ways to reduce his suffering from trauma and physical pain. What he discovered serves as the foundation of the veterans’ class.
The program welcomes veterans of all backgrounds and skill levels, offering clay and a safe, supportive space. The course focuses on shared experiences and collective growth without strict instruction. This communal approach is designed specifically for veterans, many of whom can feel misunderstood or disconnected from civilian society after their military service.
Participants work together on activities like kiln firings, a communal ritual in which students support each other through long hours of shared activity.
“The ability to find relief for me and to provide a space for others to find healing — that’s beyond expectations,” Fox says.
Each participant’s journey is unique, but many say the experience of creating art together in a supportive setting fosters a deep sense of belonging and mutual support.
For U.S. Army veteran Chet Atkins, the class has become a cherished part of his life. “There’s nothing more calming than coming in here and working with the clay,” he says. “It helps keep me grounded, and it’s good for my PTSD.”
Atkins, who served in Vietnam, first found ceramics decades ago but stepped away from it due to career and family obligations. He dabbled in other art forms, but said Fox’s class has rekindled his passion for the medium.
“I come here for the connections,” he says. “We’re all here because we’ve been through things that most people don’t understand. This isn’t just a class — it’s a community.”
Atkins’ experience mirrors those of many students who have found relaxation working with clay and a sense of camaraderie in Fox’s class. And Fox says that’s by design and supported by science.
“Providing a safe and accepting space, adding the creative process of working with your hands with clay, and sharing creative ideas with other people builds so much,” said Fox. “The communities that people build here are very strong.”
As Fox’s class became more popular, he found the logistics of running the program went beyond what he could manage alone, so he turned to the Dream Maker Program, an initiative of the nonprofit Ink People Center for the Arts. The program provided an umbrella to give Fox’s class nonprofit status, opening doors for funding opportunities that organizers hope will allow it to expand.
“It’s a fiscal sponsorship model that supports over 100 local projects focusing on art and culture,” says Ink People Executive Director Monica Topping-Adams of the Dream Maker Program.
According to Topping-Adams, the program handles administrative aspects of running a nonprofit, like accounting, compliance and grant applications, which allows leaders like Fox to focus solely on their projects.
“When Joe came to us, he was already kind of doing this service through the college, but he needed more administrative support than he could get there,” she says.
Topping-Adams says Ink People trusts its Dream Makers to lead their projects, offering them guidance and resources but not interfering with day-to-day operations. This approach allows a broader spectrum of creative and community initiatives to flourish, each tailored to meet the unique needs of Humboldt County, she says.
For Fox, the nonprofit umbrella also gives his program an opportunity to grow to serve more veterans, ensuring none will be turned away.
Topping-Adams says programs like Fox’s are essential.
“In a healthcare desert like Humboldt County, where mental health resources are limited, having alternative support systems is crucial,” she says. “This is a healthy, constructive way to work through the reality of what our brains are doing.”
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 11 to 20 percent of veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder each year. Veterans from prior conflicts face similar, sometimes higher, rates of PTSD, a condition that can severely alter veterans’ lives, causing depression, anxiety and feelings of isolation. It’s also a condition that often goes untreated, according to a 2020 report from the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, which found nearly one in three veterans who experience mental health challenges do not seek help due to the stigma around them.
Vasquez, the course’s co-instructor, is pursuing a master’s degree in expressive arts therapy and has worked with veterans for 15 years. She says Fox’s class is an important tool to reach people who may not be getting help elsewhere.
“For veterans dealing with PTSD, the sensory and motor engagement provides a very grounding experience,” she says. “For those dealing with trauma, art provides a bridge between their inner struggles and the outside world, offering a sense of control and relief.”
Vasquez says working with clay also allows veterans to focus on the present moment. According to studies conducted by the American Art Therapy Association and research funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, art therapy can significantly benefit people dealing with trauma and stress. Research shows art therapy facilitates neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, a “rewiring” effect that can help veterans process traumatic memories and create new, more positive associations.
Vasquez describes the process as a “somatic approach,” with veterans using their bodies and muscle memory to create art. For many veterans, social isolation is one of the most profound struggles they face after leaving service. With its rural setting, Humboldt County presents a unique blend of solitude and community. For some of the 5,000 veterans who call Humboldt County home, that’s appealing but the isolation can become overwhelming for others.
According to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report by the Department of Veterans Affairs, there were 6,146 veteran suicide deaths in 2020, an average of 16.8 per day. The suicide rate among veterans is 57 percent higher than that of the non-veteran U.S. adult population, the report found, with veterans ages 18-34 facing the highest rates.
The VA’s research also highlights the role of substance use in veteran suicides. Many veterans dealing with PTSD, depression or anxiety may turn to substance use, increasing their overdose risk. Substance use disorders are prevalent among veterans, often linked to the stress of transitioning to civilian life and untreated mental health conditions. These challenges can be exacerbated by social isolation and financial difficulties, factors that were heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These statistics underscore the need for programs that provide veterans with mental health resources and community support, especially in a place like Humboldt.
Students in Fox’s class say the program has helped them foster community connections and combat the type of loneliness and depression that often accompany PTSD.
“This class is my anchor,” says U.S. Army veteran Mario Delgado, who recently moved to the area from Oakland and stumbled upon the ceramics program through Eureka’s Veterans Affairs clinic. “The two days a week that I come here are everything. I can come in, sit without any expectations, and just feel like I belong.”
For Delgado, ceramics is as much about the unspoken “brotherhood” as it is about the art itself. “When I’m here, I can let my guard down,” he says. “I don’t feel alone. It’s a space where I don’t have to explain myself. It’s like we’re back in the service, and it’s very relatable.”
Kim Hall, president of North Coast Stand Down, a nonprofit that puts on an annual service fair for local veterans, says the program fills a void.
“Programs like Joe’s, which create community ties and offer healthy outlets, help bridge gaps, not only for veterans but also for those around them,” she says, noting that the program can also link its students with other veterans’ services. “Our network here is unique. It’s not like you need to go to an office; you can talk to anyone in the community. … We’re a small, tight-knit community. We want to take care of our own, and programs like Joe’s are a big part. They don’t just help veterans; they help bring us closer together.”
Hall emphasizes that the ceramics class provides a safe, accessible space veterans and their families can rely on.
For some, like Chasity McFarlan, the program has also provided a path to new opportunities.
A U.S. Coast Guard veteran injured during basic training, McFarlan discovered the ceramics class while trying to rebuild her life during a period of homelessness.
“The veteran clay class helped me realize that I want to pursue art seriously,” she says.
McFarlan pulls a stack of art books she checked out of the library and a sketch book from her bag and shows her most recent drawings — page after page of abstract shapes and patterns that evidence a growing artistic talent.
“Joe and Jackie have been amazing — they helped me feel like I belong here,” she continues, adding that with the support of her instructors and the community she found in the class, she’s now planning to pursue a degree in studio art.
Her eyes welling with tears, McFarlan says the program has been transformational.
“I’ve met people here who I’ll be friends with for life,” she says. “The program has been life-changing, not just because of the art, but because it’s given me a chance to start over and find a community that cares.”
While many tout the ceramics course’s success, Fox and Vasquez still see room to grow. The program’s immediate goal is to broaden the range of creative outlets available in the future, allowing veterans to explore other art forms, such as painting, drawing and photography.
“Not everybody connects with clay similarly,” Vasquez says.
Both instructors say the ultimate goal is to make arts accessible to everyone, especially veterans, who may be struggling in silence, but expansion plans remain a work in progress. Both say they hope to expand it to include other artistic mediums, which would make it more accessible for veterans who want to try different forms of creative expression until they find one that resonates with them.
Topping-Adams echoes this sentiment, stressing that community involvement is essential for projects like Fox’s to grow and sustain themselves.
“Many of the projects under the Dream Maker program thrive on community support,” she says. “Sometimes, it’s as simple as helping to cover material costs or donating tools, which makes a big difference.”
Topping-Adams hopes more people will see the value of community-driven projects and come forward to support them. Fox also encourages local businesses and community members to consider sponsorships, donations and partnerships to further the program’s reach and impact, noting he’d like to see similar programs started in other areas.
“Every community has veterans who could benefit from something like this,” he says. “Art gives them a way to process what they’re carrying and find some peace.”
Fox encourages veterans interested in his course to contact him or the Adult and Community Education Department at College of the Redwoods. The mission, he says, is to encourage healing through art and build an art-focused program that helps people.
“Come in, and we’ll give you some clay,” he says.
Kelby McIntosh is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Redwoods Listening Post (RLP). The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Kelby’s reporting comes courtesy of a partnership between RLP, North Coast Journal Inc., and Access Humboldt. For more on the California Local News Fellowship, visit fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.
This article appears in Sculpting Community.