Notable Quotable: Luz Helena Thompson, Military Veteran and Visual Artist


By Paulette Beete
a woman working on a glass mosaic portrait of a rippling US flag

Luz Helena Thompson works on a glass mosaic in her studio.  Photo courtesy of Luz Helena Thompson

“To be a visual artist has brought me joy and given me an opportunity to heal. I get to use broken pieces and make something absolutely beautiful out of all that brokenness.”   Luz Helena Thompson

Although she first thought of herself as a writer, Luz Helena Thompson later discovered her passion for visual art while grieving the loss of her grandmother. She joined the U.S. Marine Corps after high school and after her service leaned into a career as a visual artist and teaching artist. She is especially passionate about using art to help the veteran community process trauma. Learn more about her work in this interview from last November.