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Free art, creative writing classes for veterans to begin

Posted 1/23/20

Vietnam Veteran Sarge Lintecum, noted to have two Blues albums and a full-length book, will teach other veterans about creative writing, beginning the week of Jan. 27 at the American Legion in Cave Creek.

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Free art, creative writing classes for veterans to begin

Posted

Vietnam Veteran Sarge Lintecum, noted to have two Blues albums and a full-length book, will teach other veterans about creative writing, beginning the week of Jan. 27 at the American Legion in Cave Creek.

Free art and creative writing classes last six to seven weeks. Veterans can join the classes at any time, according to a press release.

Options include a six-week creative writing class, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Classes include:

  • Sculpting the head in oil and clay with Craig Bergsgaard – 10 a.m. – noon, Mondays;
  • Pet and animal acrylic painting with Marilee Adams – 5-7 p.m., Mondays;
  • Beginning to intermediate oil painting with Keith Dabb – 10 a.m.–noon, Tuesdays;
  • Song and creative writing with Sarge Lintecum – 1-3 p.m., Tuesdays;
  • Batik egg with Jordan Byrd – 10 a.m.–noon, Wednesdays; and
  • Desert and life acrylic painting with Arthur Benjamins – 1-3 p.m., Wednesdays.

Mr. Lintecum teaches songwriting and creative writing to help veterans dealing with post traumatic stress since it helps him deal with post traumatic stress, the release said.

He began singing and songwriting to help his PTSD after traditional therapies and medications did not help the combat veteran who struggled, for years, to “keep his mind out of the Vietnam jungle until he picked up a pen and began to write songs.”

“I was able to write about things that I couldn’t talk about, even with my wife,” Mr. Lintecum, who served three tours of duty in Vietnam, said in a prepared statement.

“I am blessed to be able to teach this class, because when I write and when I help other veterans with PTSD, it is medicine for my own PTSD.”

He began performing at open mic nights in Tucson in the 1980s with two Blues songs about PTSD. In 1987, he was asked to perform at the first Nam Jam concert for veterans in Tucson. For the next 25 years, he performed a 45-minute blues set at Nam Jam every year, even releasing two albums called, “Vietnam Blues” and “PTSD Blues,” according to the release.

His book, “Seven Short Stories of the Vietnam War,” is a compilation of seven stories based on his personal experiences in Vietnam, the release added, describing his songs and book that helps veterans from recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to those who served in Vietnam.

“The weapons and surroundings may change, but war is war and combat is combat,” Mr. Lintecum said. “New veterans can relate to what I say because they’ve experienced the same things – things you may not understand about yourself.”

“We want our veterans to know how grateful we are for their sacrifices and that they are never alone,” said Judi Combs, American Healing Arts Foundation founder and co-founder of the Arizona Fine Art EXPO, in a prepared statement.

“Our mission is to provide hope, support and friendship to vets through these free art classes.”

“PTSD made it difficult for me to keep my mind from constantly going back to the jungle,” says Lintecum.

“I discovered that if I was studying something, learning something new or writing, I could concentrate enough to keep my mind from slipping back.”

All of the classes will take place at the American Legion in Cave Creek at 6272 E. Cave Creek Rd. Artists from the nearby Arizona Fine Art EXPO are donating their time to teach the art classes.

For more information about the American Healing Arts Foundation or to participate in free art classes, call 480-837-5637.

Visit: AmericanHealingArtsFoundation.org.