Art of War:
The Odyssey
A multidisciplinary creative writing and visual arts program that brings veterans, service members, military families, and civilians together to explore Homer’s The Odyssey through storytelling, art-making, and shared creative practice.
August 2026 - May 2027
Only 20 participants will be selected.
Applications close July 30.
About the Program
Program runs August 2026 - May 2027
Art of War: The Odyssey is a multidisciplinary arts and literature program bringing veterans and civilians together through shared reading, writing, visual art-making, and public storytelling.
The program grew out of our long-running exhibition The Art of War, which pairs work by veteran and active-duty military writers and artists with responses from civilian writers and artists. This expanded program uses Homer's The Odyssey as a starting point to explore departure, endurance, moral testing, homecoming, and reintegration. Veterans and civilians participate together, transforming their experiences into new written and visual work, and culminating in a public exhibition, spoken word performances and publication.
Who We're Looking For
20 participants total — 10 writers, 10 visual artists. Within each group, half will be civilians and half will be veterans, active-duty service members, or military family members. Open to all levels of practice; applicants must be able to commit to the full project timeline.
Space is limited. Please apply early. Questions? Email info@mil-tree.org.
Deadline to apply July 30
Schedule
Aug-Sep 2026 | Phase One: The Book Group
Saturday, August 8 through Saturday, September 19, 2026
Online book group led by Dr. Ed Tick. You don’t have to be an expert, all are welcome. Come open to learn!
Dr. Ed Tick
Dr. Ed Tick is a psychotherapist, author, and educator who has spent more than forty years working to heal the invisible wounds of war. Co-founder and director of the nonprofit Soldier's Heart, he is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in the spiritual and community-based healing of veterans with PTSD and moral injury, and has trained military chaplains, behavioral health specialists, and staff at Department of Defense and VA facilities across the country. He is the author of the award-winning War and the Soul: Healing Our Nation's Veterans from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder — the book that inspired Cheryl Montelle to found Mil-Tree — along with several other books on trauma, healing, and warrior traditions. Dr. Tick is also a scholar of ancient Greece, having led more than twenty healing pilgrimages there since 1995, and brings that dual expertise in trauma and Greek literature to his leadership of the book group.
Six Sessions:
Aug 8 Introduction, 9-10 am
Aug 15, 9:30–11:30 am
Aug 22, 9:30–11:30 am
Aug 29, 9:30–11:30 am
Sept 12, 9:30–11:30 am
Sep 19 Finale, 9:30 am-12:30 pm
The group, led by Ruth Nolan, collaboratively develops writing prompts inspired by The Odyssey; writers create new poetry, creative nonfiction, or short prose in response. Sessions focus on craft, voice, clarity, and emotional integrity. Work must be created new during the program.
Oct-Dec 2026 | Phase Two: Writers Workshop
Ruth Nolan
Ruth Nolan, M.F.A., M.A., is Professor Emeritus of English and creative writing at College of the Desert and a former wildland firefighter. She is a long-established desert writer/poet focusing widely on themes social and environmental justice, with an eye on educational approaches. She has also curated and led community-inclusive writing workshops and literary programming in the inland Southern California region for over 20 years.She is the creator and co-founder of the Inlandia Institute community writing workshop program and has led writing workshops for organizations including Desert Institute at Joshua Tree National Park; Death Valley National Park Historical Association; (In)Visible Memoir Project; 29 Palms Book Festival, and Native American Land Conservancy.
Dates to be determined.
Jan-Mar 2027 | Phase Three: Visual Artist Response & Critique
Completed writing is shared with paired visual artists — pairings intentionally cross veteran and civilian lines — who spend three months creating new original work in response. Critiques will be facilitated by Aaron Smith, working artist and retired art professor.
Aaron Smith
Professional working artist and retired art professor.
Dates to be determined.
Apr-May 2027 | Phase Four: Exhibition & Spoken Word Performance & Critique
Culminating public exhibition and spoken word performance at Hi-Desert Artists Gallery.
Dates to be determined.
Creative Facilitators
Dr. Edward Tick
Book Group
Ruth Nolan
Writing Workshop
Aaron Smith
Visual Art
Supported in part by the City of Yucca Valley’s Measure Y Partnership Grant
