Art has served many purposes for Capt. Stephen Yaffe.

Yaffe depended on his art as a way of making friends when he was young. Later on, art was his business and livelihood. Art has also consumed his scholarly pursuits.

But through his lifetime as an artist, one facet of art has consistently served Yaffe time and time again: art's ability to act as a coping mechanism, a strong therapy for dealing with situations faced.

Yaffe, 42, first used his art as a safe haven when he was a child growing up in the 1970s. Instead of allowing himself to be beaten up or have his lunch money stolen, he impressed school bullies with his artwork.

"Basically the only way I could be cool in school was to draw Spiderman or other pictures for the kids," he said. "So art had a survival component attached to it at a very young age."

Yaffe drew from that survival component three decades later when he deployed to Iraq in 2009. There, he was thousands of miles away and thirty years removed from handing out cartoon drawings to avoid fights. But he still needed art as a tool to cope with stress and the daily rigors of deployment.

"I used my art as a diversion from the drudgery and risky nature of deployment," said Yaffe, speaking about his tour. "When you're separated from your family, art is a great way to take care of yourself."

Bruce Thompson, a ceramics instructor at the Open Arts Studio in Tacoma, said the therapeutic properties of creating art can best be attributed to the artist's whole-hearted connection with a single activity. When making art, the mind becomes so focused on the process that the art is the only thing the artist is thinking about. Also trained as a physical therapist, Thompson said this idea of connecting to a single activity is often used by occupational therapists to treat post traumatic stress.    

"A meaningful activity like ceramics can help get people focused on what they are doing instead of thinking about something else that bothers them," said Thompson.  

Like Yaffe, Thompson knows the therapeutic properties of art firsthand. Thompson first turned to ceramics when he was a civil engineer in the Air Force. He later focused on his artwork when dealing with difficult personal issues.  

"I spent more time in the ceramics studio when I was going through some issues," he said. "Art helps to get your mind away from anything else you might be thinking of."  

Of course, it's easy to envision Yaffe and Thompson turning to art as a method of coping with hard times because they are both accomplished artists. Both men studied art in college.  Along with teaching at the Open Arts Studio, Thompson is also an art instructor at the Evergreen State College. Yaffe owned a successful pottery business on the east coast for seven years.  

But Thompson argues that anyone can use art to relax and cope with stress. He said many of the people he instructs have full-time jobs. They, too, use art as therapy.

"Most of the people that get interested in art have no desire to sell their work," said Thompson. "They just find art extremely therapeutic and a relaxing hobby."

Yaffe said that much of his enjoyment surrounding art comes from his ability to use it as a way to give back to his community. He said that art has always played a big role in certain facets of the Army. Since enlisting, Yaffe has done things like paint pictures for fellow Servicemembers or compose murals in offices. He likes using his art to instill vitality and inspire the community of Soldiers around him. "It's very nice for me to make art in the service of others," he said.

While deployed in Iraq in 2009, Yaffe painted a picture of the 109th Military Intelligence Battalion. The painting won second place in a 2010 Morale, Welfare and Recreation Arts & Crafts competition. Not only did painting the picture help him cope with stresses of deployment, Yaffe said, but it also served as a source of enjoyment for others in the battalion. "The Soldiers could see themselves represented in the artwork," he said. "To me this goes back to the idea that art is communal and goes beyond the individual artist."

Yaffe encourages those looking for a creative or therapeutic outlet to try their hand at art. The MWR on Joint Base Lewis-McChord is an invaluable resource for artists on base, he said, and can provide studio space, a kiln and art classes. "The MWR has all the resources artists need," said Yaffe.

Outside of the base, Metro Parks Tacoma offers a variety of art classes. Open Arts Studio in Tacoma also offers classes for kids, teens and adults. Ranging from painting to ceramics to even music, Open Arts welcomes artists of all levels. Classes usually last around six weeks and a 10-percent discount is given for active-duty military.

Though Yaffe has lately focused his attention on sculpture, he said it's important for individuals to find the medium of art that speaks to them. He said from sculptors to tattooists, making art can quickly take hold and become a vital part of a person's life.

"Art becomes your persona," said Yaffe. "It's part of who you are."      

To see a list of art classes available in the area, visit www.northwestmmilitary.com and sign up to receive our magazines.