First-time entrant wins Montana VA Health Care System’s creative arts competition
Earl Fred entered Montana VA Healthcare System’s creative arts competition for the first time and won first place. His intarsia woodwork piece, “Grey Owl,” is a mosaic art form made from 525 hand-cut and hand-sanded pieces of four types of wood.
The win earned the 92-year-old Air Force veteran from Helena, Mont., an invitation to the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival in Columbia, S.C.
“This is the first time I’ve entered this level of competition,” said Fred. “But it definitely will not be my last.”
In the Air Force
Before he ever touched a scroll saw, Fred was teaching other airmen how to stay alive.
Fred served in the Air Force from 1954 to 1957 as a survival instructor, stationed in Reno, Nev., and Caribou, Maine. He ran a 15-day course training airmen to survive off the land, sea and desert if they were ever cut off from support. The final two days were escape-and-evasion exercises.
“The crews were given enough food for five days,” said Fred. “Beyond that, it was a real survival problem.”
What he’s most proud of came in the mail long after his service was over.
“It was receiving correspondence from crew members who were actually faced with, and found themselves in, a real survival situation, and thanked God for the training they had received,” said Fred.
Finding woodwork
Fred discovered woodworking at a local craft show around 2005. He stopped to talk with a man building intarsia motorcycles from wood. The man invited him to his shop, walked him through the process and gave him a couple of patterns to try.
“That was the start of a rewarding and glorious hobby,” said Fred.
When Mike Bassett, an outpatient recreational therapist at Fort Harrison VA Medical Center, saw Fred’s artwork, he encouraged him to enter Montana VA’s creative arts competition. Fred entered “Grey Owl,” won first place, and received an invitation to the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, running June 9-14, 2026.
Being invited to the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival at 92 means more to him than he expected.
“To reach the award level I have is one of the greatest achievements I’ve had in my life,” he said.
Love of the craft
Fred says the hardest part of any design is the time it demands. Some pieces must be recut because they don’t fit right. Every piece must be sanded by hand.
When he finishes, his first thought is always whether he could have done it better. His second thought is something different.
“Wow. I did it,” said Fred.
His woodshop gives him a place to settle his mind and something to look forward to every day.
“I’m in my own little world for a period of time,” said Fred. “The relaxation I receive while working on a project keeps me coming back.”
In the shop together
Fred doesn’t go to the shop alone. His daughter Karen is there with him nearly every day.
She learned the craft from him, and now they present together in shows, including two each year at Fort Harrison, where VA staff and other Veterans can see their work.
Karen says creative arts changed something in her dad.
“First and foremost, it gives him something to get out of the house for every day,” said Karen. “He takes pride in each piece and enjoys the creative talents it takes to complete a piece.”
For her, the time in the shop became something unexpected.
“I absolutely love spending half a day, every day, with my dad in the shop,” said Karen. “Having him teach me his hobby was just an added bonus.”
Fred says Karen’s decision to join him in the shop was one of the best things to come out of the whole hobby.
“It was great happiness for me when Karen said she wanted to take up this art form,” said Fred. “The big plus is the time we get to spend together.”
Why creative arts therapies
VA’s creative arts therapies use art, music, dance and drama to help Veterans work toward their rehabilitation goals.
The program supports physical, mental and social well-being through creative expression and gives Veterans a non-clinical way to manage pain, build focus and connect with others.
“I urge Veterans to find a hobby they enjoy, to keep their interest and to look forward to the next day and the joy received personally,” said Fred.
To learn more, talk to your care team or visit Creative Arts Therapies or National Veterans Creative Arts Festival.
Topics in this story
More Stories
Sherry Thornton benefited from the support of family, friends, and her MOVE! team to develop a new, healthy lifestyle.
This article helps Veterans use effective strategies to manage common stressors before they escalate into a suicide crisis.
Veterans across VA are seeing meaningful improvements in their health and well-being through Whole Health services.
Fred, exquisite talent! I too acquired a hobby that helps me with my PTSD. I am a custom knife maker and it truly helps me through my rough times!
I would love to know if Mr. Fred would be interesting in selling the white heron to the right if the owl! It is so obvious that you put your heart into your work.
Fred your owl is absolutely stunning! I too enjoy crafts since retiring as well as my sister. It is definitely good therapy. I’m getting back to it soon as I went back to work 3 years ago. God speed and hoping you win the finals at the national creative arts convention.
Good morning, I certainly enjoyed reading this article. Fred, your creative art is wonderful and it’s just so nice to see you sharing your work with others through this article. I would like to thank you for your service and all you did to teach others. I wish you and your family the very best and don’t stop being creative with your hobby. May God be with you and your family, always…
This has inspired me to get back into my artistic side. My Father in law was very artistic and taught @ a deaf school in Georgia. He was a B-17 bombardier during WW2. He flew 23 Missions before the war ended. My last piece of art was displayed in a church for the Easter Service.
Absolutely beautiful artwork! I enjoyed the article.