Staff Sgt. Michael Eader knows all about the power art can have on both the artist and those viewing it.

Before enlisting in the Army years ago, Eader took some glass blowing classes and really enjoyed learning the craft.

After finishing up his active duty career with the 2nd Stryker Brigade at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Eader is now a Reservist with the 1-414th Infantry Regiment and stationed at a satellite office in Renton. But his passion for art is still strong, and he believes it is something that can help veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Eader is part of a group spreading the word about the Combat Paper Project, an art project that's traveling through the Northwest this month and geared toward active servicemembers and veterans.

Based in Vermont, Combat Paper is a unique collaborative project that works directly with veterans and survivors of conflict, teaching them to transform their uniforms or other significant articles of clothing into paper pulp. The paper pulp is then used to create cathartic, personal works of art.

"I have a couple of buddies in the area that I deployed with that could really benefit from this," said Eader, who was blowing glass full time for the last three years before his unit got mobilized. "It's a good way for them to express how they are feeling without having to use words."

Pratt Fine Arts Center (1902 South Main Street, Seattle) is hosting a workshop and free public lecture with Combat Paper Project. Combat Paper Project co-founders Drew Matott and Drew Cameron will discuss Combat Paper's development and work with veterans, artists and activists in a free public lecture at Pratt at 6:30 p.m. May 20. Pratt will also offer an intensive three-day papermaking workshop with Combat Paper from May 21-23.

Students will explore processes historically rooted in the traditions of hand papermaking and will learn to use rag paper pulp to form sheets of paper with a mould and deckle. This paper will be used as the basis for creating personal journals, or as a medium on which to write or print personal stories. Combat Paper will also demonstrate pulp printing using silk screen images, pulp painting and basic bookbinding techniques. Through a series of creative exercises, students will be encouraged to express their personal experiences.

"It's more about helping people tell their personal stories," said Amanda Ondrick, Pratt's education program manager. "(Combat Paper) is a lot about healing."

The workshop will likely be made up of a mix of veterans and artists, Ondrick said.

Eader and other organizers are helping raise money to pay for three veterans to enroll in the three-day workshop. People are also being asked to donate used military uniforms in any condition to the workshop.

Those interested in making a monetary or uniform donation can e-mail Ondrick at aondrick@pratt.org or call (206) 328-2200 ext. 222.

For more information on Combat Paper, visit combatpaper.org.