Summary:

What if art is not optional, but one of the tools veterans need most to heal?

In this episode of Dog Tag Diaries, Captain Kim sits down with Navy veteran, artist, and Veteran Art Venue founder Phyllis Thomas to talk about creativity, service, healing, and purpose. Phyllis shares how her love for art began as a child in Watts, how her parents helped grow that gift, and how she carried it into her Navy career in illustration drafting. She explains why art can help veterans express what words cannot, lower stress, and build trust again. Through her Paint and Snack sessions, Phyllis has spent more than a decade helping veterans reconnect with themselves, each other, and their communities.

In this episode, we cover:

• Phyllis Thomas’s childhood in Watts and discovering art early
• How her parents supported her creative gift
• Growing up during Vietnam, the Watts riots, and social change
• Why Phyllis chose to join the United States Navy
• Working in Navy illustration drafting and technical art
• Serving as a Black woman in uniform in the 1970s
• Using art to ease stress among active duty service members
• Why Phyllis believes everyone has an artist inside them
• Creating Veteran Art Venue and Paint and Snack sessions
• How art helps veterans express pain without needing words
• Paint on the Fence as a creative stress release
• Using art to connect veterans and civilians
• Phyllis’s Johnny Depp People’s Art Contest opportunity and her goal to support more veteran artists

Notable Quotes & Moments:

• “There is an artist within everyone.” Phyllis Thomas on helping veterans believe in their own creativity [00:16:44]
• “Leave your self-critic and your self-doubt at the door.” Phyllis Thomas on the first step in her art sessions [00:27:00]
• “Words can trigger points.” Phyllis Thomas on why visual expression can feel safer for veterans [00:31:45]
• “Visual beyond words.” Phyllis Thomas on her motto and the power of art [00:33:01]
• “It’s not a luxury. It’s an essence of life building.” Phyllis Thomas on why art matters [00:42:21]

Timestamps:

• 00:01:42 - Meet Navy veteran and artist Phyllis Thomas
• 00:03:54 - Phyllis’s childhood in Watts and the moment her parents saw her gift
• 00:07:37 - Growing up during Vietnam, funerals, and the Watts riots
• 00:09:53 - How Phyllis found her way into the military
• 00:14:04 - Navy illustration drafting and working with ship blueprints
• 00:18:21 - Being a Black woman in uniform in the early 1970s
• 00:20:01 - Defending herself and helping other women feel safer
• 00:24:10 - Leaving the Navy and continuing her education
• 00:26:30 - Creating Veteran Art Venue
• 00:28:00 - How Paint and Snack sessions work
• 00:31:32 - Why art is essential for veterans
• 00:33:14 - How “visual beyond words” came to life
• 00:34:26 - Paint on the Fence and creative stress release
• 00:37:46 - Johnny Depp’s People’s Art Contest and Phyllis’s mission
• 00:42:01 - Using art to bridge veterans and civilians
• 00:44:12 - Reveille and Retreat Project closing message

About Phyllis Thomas:

Phyllis Thomas is a United States Navy veteran, artist, founder of Veteran Art Venue, and longtime advocate for veteran healing through creative expression. Her work began in childhood in Watts and later became part of her military service through Navy illustration drafting. Today, Phyllis leads art-based programs like Paint and Snack, where veterans can relax, create, connect, and express what may be hard to say out loud. Her mission is to show that art is not extra. It is a powerful tool for emotional health, community, and hope.

Connect and learn more:

Website: https://meroegallery.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PHYL4art/

Artist Profile: https://peoplesartist.org/phyllis-thomas--6HDi

Magazine Feature: https://simplebooklet.com/avowmagazinewinter20222023 (pages 16–21)

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Learn more about the Reveille and Retreat Project:

reveilleandretreatproject.org

Instagram: @reveilleandretreatproject

Facebook: Reveille and Retreat Project

You aren’t alone.

If you’re thinking about hurting yourself or having thoughts of suicide, contact the Veteran crisis line: Dial 988 then press 1, chat online, or text 838255.