Monday, June 17, kicked off an 11-week mural project journey for TAPH Artists partners, Connect2Art Project and The Art Project, Houston a project of the Bread of Life.  

Since the project was founded in 2010, Connect2Art Project, founded by Sheri Hammonds, has engaged men and women who are homeless, near homeless or in life crisis situations in healing art programs. One of the goals of Connect2Art is to create a series of murals with homeless individuals for exhibition in public spaces.

Three murals have been created and exhibited at Houston’s City Hall in partnership with the Star of Hope's Transitional Living Center and the Men's Development Center. The fourth mural will be a collaborative effort with The Art Project, Houston a project of the Bread of Life.  For 11-weeks the artists will meet 2-hours each week to create this masterpiece as a team. A lead artist will work with homeless individuals to design and paint the mural expressing homelessness and its challenges. 

The mural program provides a nurturing environment for recipients, helping them to reconnect to their inner creativity and renew their optimism and faith in themselves and their community. Recipients expressed greater self awareness, increased self confidence and a stronger sense of self worth as they engage in small groups of eight to ten individuals to paint together under the skillful and compassionate guidance of their volunteer facilitators.
 
Here are some of the students’ comments after completion of one of their 8-week programs:

“I enjoy art because it clears my mind and it takes me to another zone. I’m able to express myself with the mind and soul.”

“Art has taught me to express myself and release frustration and anger in a healing way.”

 “The art class serves as a coping mechanism to help me deal with stress.  It also allows me to get in touch with my inner artist.” 

“I am very grateful for the class and I hope many others will benefit from it just as I have.”

The goal of creating these large murals is to increase public awareness about the plight of homeless people by exhibiting their artwork in public spaces.

Homeless students in this program learn important team building skills and the power of collaborating together toward a goal. The process begins with a discussion about what it is that the students would like to express, which leads to sketches and rough drafts of the mural. Under the guidance of a professional mural artist, students are then shown all the steps to complete the mural and make it a meaningful piece of art. Knowing that the mural will be placed in a public space gives students a great sense of purpose and accomplishment. 

The estimated date of completion of the mural with Bread of Life is August 30, 2013.  The mural will culminate with an installation at Houston City Hall, with members of City Hall staff in attendance at the unveiling.  
 
It is our great pleasure that we bring Houston this meaningful piece of art. We are excited about this partnership and look forward to sharing the art with The City of Houston this fall.

We cannot do this work with the support of people who are choosing to believe with us.
If you are interested in investing in this project with The Art Project, Houston that we may continue to empower our artists partners as the tranistion into a re-imagined life, you can do so by clicking 
                                                                              The Art Project, Houston

Join us in Celebrating!

Four members of The Art Project, Houston community:

Kelly Brown, TAPH Artist Partner
Gary Jackson, TAPH Artist Partner and The Path to Freedom Ministry Member
Rosalyn Grimes, TAPH Volunteer
Lanecia A. Rouse , TAPH Project Manager

have writings and photography published in the July/August 2013 of Alive Now Magazine on Creativity!

Get your copy today at: http://alivenow.upperroom.org/

Eunice is one busy and focused woman. Between her commitments to volunteer at Lord of the Streets, Bread of Life Wednesday Food Fair, The Art Project class, getting things in order to become a professional hairstylist again, and creating beautiful jewelry art, we managed to find a few minutes for Mission Year Intern, Cynthia Javaras, to learn some things about her as an artist and her experience with TAPH to share.

What has brought you the most life in the art class?
I have enjoyed the watercolor with Mr. Joe the most!  I previously had training in that medium and my art teacher in junior high said I had the skill.  Since then I knew I wanted to continue to do art.

What do you enjoy the most about making beads?
I love anything that I get to use my mind.  (Beads) is just another craft I can master.

What have you enjoyed about being apart of The Art Project, Houston?
I love people.  I started doing the art after dark program about 8 weeks ago and knew I wanted to continue to do art.  I am a people person and the class allows me to blossom because everyone else is blossoming.

Participants often use the word "family" in describing The Art Project class experience. Do you think the art class has become a family?
We were already family.  The class is the icing on the cake.

Reflection by Mission Year Intern with TAPH, Cynthia Javaras

The art class ended another rotation this past Tuesday December 18, 2012.  The students have journeyed through various trips to Museums, enjoyed a couple of watercolor workshops directed by a local artist, and learned new skills including working with fabric.  Below, are the individual celebrations and experiences of the art students.

 “Ever since we went to the museum of contemporary craft and saw the fabric art exhibit I have wanted to stitch.  Now I don’t want to sketch, all I want is my needle and thread.”
(Eric) a participant who is currently working on a fabric piece with the words “Be encouraging to one another”

Ms. Carolyn is a student who is very fond of the scripture John 3:16 and has continuously looked for new ways to place her stamp on new materials.  This art class rotation she started to paint!

“The art class is a relaxing environment for me.”
(Gerald) a participant who has inspired the class with his dedication to his school work along with his commitment to the art class.

“ I enjoyed the trip to the Fine Arts Museum because in the Egyptian exhibit showed how writing to them was a sacred practice, and I enjoyed that because I am a writer.”
-(Kellie) a participant who is a extremely gifted writer, lover and brilliant caretaker of words. Be on watch for some of her pieces soon.

“I like to draw peaceful places (including mountain and beach scenes) because I want to go there myself.”
 -(Chris) a participant who is currently a resident at Knowles-Temenos apartments and volunteers daily at the Bread of Life, Inc. as a way to give back.

Each of the students have unique passions including writing, sewing, painting, drawing, poetry, stamping, and collage.  Despite these differences of skill and craft, the class shares a genuine spirit of thankfulness and gratitude toward one another.  As a way to mark their willingness to commit to the process of healing and being empowered by art, each member of the class was handed a “Certificate of Completion" and was photographed by one of the participants who picked up a box camera for the special day.

Smiles all around.

Special thanks to Marie Noack, Roz Grimes and Pastor Simeon L. Queen for their leadership, support and love of each participant in The Art Project class (therapeutic art and empowerment 5-week rotation class of TAPH).

A few weeks ago, Malichia joined a group of artists from "The Art Project, Houston" a project of the Bread of Life, on a visit to MOCHA studios. He was inspired by the three-dimensional art that filled the space and returned to the art studio at the Bread of Life, Inc. ready to create some three-dimensional art pieces.  He has created a number of pieces since that visit. Some he has gifted to people in his community and others he has offered to be exhibited in upcoming shows for The Art Project, Houston. 

One of his first three-dimensional creations is a spectacular piece titled, "Sunset Over the Sea." He created it out of reused and found objects he collected as he walked the streets of Houston. "Sunset Over the Sea" was first exhibited at Cups for Change, and was purchased this past weekend at ArtFest 2012.  It was an exciting moment for Malichia and TAPH team.

When the studio doors opened today, one of "The Art Project, Houston" participants walked through the door with a surprise cake of support and love for the new joy Malichia has found in the medium of three-dimensional mixed media art. Needless to say the room was filled with many smiles and lots of joy feasting on this treat.