Army Veteran and Navajo Artist Nathan Nez Led Art Therapy Sessions at Diné College
TSAILE, Ariz., Nov. 5, 2026. Navajo artist and Army veteran Nathan Nez led art therapy sessions for staff and students at the Diné College Ned Hataałi Center (NHC Building). The event aimed to show how art can help people heal, cope with stress, and find peace.
Nez held two sessions. Staff members attended from 9 to 11 a.m., and students attended from 4 to 6 p.m. Participants used paint to express their emotions and personal stories. Nez moved around the room during each session and spoke with participants about the purpose of their artwork and its emotional meaning.
Nez said the response was good overall.
“A lot of people were painting with their emotions and what they felt and how they connected their personal life with their art,” Nez said.
He thanked the college staff for hosting the event.
“They’ve been very helpful,” he said. “It’s been a good experience coming here.”
A Path to Healing Through Art
Nez turned to art after leaving the military, during a period when he struggled with alcohol and drugs. His life changed when he learned he was about to become a father.
“Once I found out I was having a son, that’s when I realized I needed to change my ways and do something different,” Nez said.
He returned to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of New Mexico. Today, he shares his experience to show others the healing power of art.
“Art has a way of helping you cope with PTSD, struggling mentally, or just anything as an escape outlet,” Nez said.
A Message to Veterans
Nez said military service can change how a person thinks and feels, and many veterans have lived through traumatic events. He urged those facing trauma to seek support.
“There’s a lot of help out there. You’re not alone,” Nez said. “All they got to do is just reach out and say, ‘Hey, I need some help.'”
Nez works with Positive Stripes, an organization that serves veterans with disabilities. The group pairs veterans with service dogs and trains them to work together and protect each other. For those unsure about trying art therapy, Nez recommended starting small. “Just pick up a pen and pencil and start from there,” Nez said. “The world is your canvas, basically.”
Rooted in Culture and Community
Nez grew up in Woodsprings, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation, and now lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a multidisciplinary artist whose work includes painting and murals. His art blends bold colors and graffiti influences with contemporary Native art while remaining closely tied to his culture, values, and roots.
His grandmother first encouraged him to make art when he was a child. He continued drawing throughout school, and in high school, he painted homecoming banners and contributed drawings to the yearbook.
While serving in Iraq, Nez stayed connected with his family by drawing on envelopes and mailing them home.
“I’ll do a drawing of a mosque or a house or something that I saw in Iraq,” Nez said. “I’ll draw it on the envelope and send it home.”
Today, Nez draws on his own experiences and stories from family and friends to create work that honors where home is.
About the Diné College Student Wellness Program
The Diné College Student Wellness Program supports students’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being and fosters a caring, connected campus community. Diné College, a tribal college founded in 1968 and headquartered in Tsaile, Arizona, serves the Navajo Nation. Learn more at www.dinecollege.edu.
