Take a creativity break with The Art Project, Houston this Saturday, February 22!  You will get to participate in your choice of 2 out of the 6 Make & Take It workshops being offered. 
 
Workshops led by Houston artists:
Charles Washington
Joe Synan
Abbie Preston
 

Registration is a suggested donation of $65 to support the ongoing work of the Bread of Life to provide empowering programming for the men and women we serve. 
 
Click HERE for more information and to register today!

“I love watercolor class.  
I just love it!  
Today I made paintings.  I made art badly but bravely.  I wasn’t in love with the pictures but I didn’t give up on the process.  I am so thankful for Mr. Joe’s instruction, compassion, motivation, and encouragement. He taught me that you don’t reject and stop loving your child (your painting/ your creation) just because your child (your painting/your creation) is ugly! You love all of your children (your paintings) unconditionally.  At some point, you will look upon them and find the beauty in them.  You learn to keep painting as your skills develop and evolve! 
Keep on painting!”

-Kelly B., TAPH Artist Partner
Kelly will have a piece on Creativity published in the July/August Issue of Alive Now (www.alivenow.upperroom.org). Alive Now is an Upper Room Ministries Publication. 

This past art class rotation included many unique workshops, powerful times of sharing, and delicious lunches.  The TAPH artist participants fully invested their talents and encouraged one another to explore new creative ideas.  I have seen the power of vulnerability about our struggles, as well as our rejoicing in our celebrations. 

The class began as a group of people and ended as a family.
Some of the common themes expressed in the student’s work included joy, love and life, possibility, and faith.  The class participated in multiple life-giving workshops including watercolor with Joe Synan, collage with Robert Hodge, adornments from recycled objects at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, and silk painting with guest artist Deb Gavron.  The artist participants described their experience as  “great, enriching, and magical”

Here are some quotes from the TAPH artist participants...

 “I thoroughly enjoyed the watercolor class. I was intimidated at first because I had never really painted before. Mr. Joe was very understanding.  He showed us different techniques.  He let us explore our own personal creativity.  After making several paintings I felt more comfortable about the creative process.  I really would like to do another watercolor workshop in the future.  I hope that others will appreciate my paintings but more importantly, I enjoyed the process and I loved my work!”
-K.B. (Watercolor Workshop with Joe Synan)

“Today has been a wonderful and blessed day for me.  A day of light and creativity. It felt so good as a therapeutic release. I just love this class. I am so excited about being in it. God has opened a new door for me! I had been praying for doors of opportunity to be opened, he did more than I asked! (Ephesians 3:20)  I am so blessed and encouraged by this church, and the path and journey I am on. Praise God. Everyday becomes better and more blessed.”
-P.J. (Watercolor Workshop with Joe Synan)

 “I enjoyed myself, it was my first time going and I thought it was going to be boring but I was amazed. I liked the cups exchange exhibit, that was neat. (Artist Michael Strand accepted “misfit cups” from visitors in exchange for his handmade cups as a part of his “Misfit Cup Liberation Project”)  I love that we came here and I loved making arts and crafts. I love my wind chime that I made.”
-A. (Visit to Houston Center for Contemporary Craft)

“The collage workshop was very revealing.  I was very intimidated by the large piece of paper.  I fought through the fear.  I had to overcome my own rigidity and resistance to trying new things.  I seemed to be more concerned about doing the project right than allowing the process to unfold naturally.  I felt that I used too many faces and words rather than images and symbols.  I felt like my collage screamed rather than evoking something subtle and thoughtful.  It was instructive in that it is a study in my own psychology and emotional life.  I feel less fearful about the process and all of the work to cut out and organize the images but it was rewarding.  I would definitely enjoy doing another collage class.  The next time I would be more relaxed and playful.  I would try to flow rather than force it.  I wouldn’t barrel through it like a rodeo bull but cascade over the page like water.  I would enjoy doing collage work again.” 
-K.B. (Collage Workshop with Robert Hodge)

 “I enjoyed meeting the instructor and hearing about her talent and experience working with silk colors/designs.”
- T.D. (Silk Painting Workshop with Deb Gavron)

Blog Reflection by Cynthia Javaras, Mission Year Intern with The Art Project, Houston

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).

During our training week for Mission year we had the privilege of
hearing from Lanecia about her personal story and how The Art Project Houston
(TAPH) came to life.  I instantly was thrilled to have the opportunity to serve alongside an amazing staff with a vision to empower the homeless community through the arts!  

My first week included meeting new people, organizing supplies, preparing for the Prescription: Paint 2012 event, and visiting the Museum of Contemporary Craft Houston.  I enjoyed spending time with the art students and seeing them come to life during studio time, classes, and our visit to the art museum.  During our visit, we experienced the artwork and interacted with the artists within their own studio setting.  

Upon returning to the Bread of Life, the students engaged in a profound discussion on the artwork they saw and how the pieces inspired them in their own work. A class favorite seemed to be a series of threaded composition notebooks because of the creativity and the length of time needed to complete them (over 10 years).  To me the notebooks displayed in the art museum showed the incredible power of someone’s life story. The staff team here is dedicated to restoring the value of everyone’s story through meeting their felt, spiritual, emotional, and
creative needs.  In these past few days, I have experienced how this place truly is the Bread of Life.

Text "BELIEVE" to 50555 to join The Art Project, Houston Mobile Community

It is FREE and you will not get SPAM messages from us.

You will receive no more than 3 text messages a month through the MGIVE Service sharing :

*Volunteer Opportunities
*Special Opportunities for YOU to tap into your creativity
*Exhibitions, Art Shows and Special Events of The Art Project, Houston Announcements
*Opportunities to Give and Donate
*Success Stories to Celebrate

The Art Project, Houston a project of the Bread of Life, Inc., is not just the work of a few people.

It is a community. 

It is only through you BELIEVING that The Art Project, Houston can heal and empower lives that we are creating opportunities for men and women who are homeless, marginalized and desiring a new reality to experience what we BELIEVE art can offer people of all ages and walks of life.

Text "BELIEVE" to 50555 TODAY. 

Together WE will make a difference!

We have started another class rotation of pottery at the Bread of Life. The class has started a bit slow, but it never ceases to amaze me how many people began to walk over to see what we are doing. I hear so many responses. Many are waiting for an invitation to come and make a cup, quickly jumping at the opportunity once asked. Some look as though they have gone back to their days in elementary school, when creating a crooked pot was highest priority. Others are reluctant to begin the process, exclaiming, “I don’t know how,” but with a little encouragement they begin to feel the dirt between their fingers and a smile emerges.

Within the past few years of working with clay, I have seen how this medium is able to bring people together. I believe this is one of the reasons I love working with it so much. From my experience, there is usually a story that goes along with pottery making. Whether it was done as a child in school, watching a grandmother throw on the wheel, or simply having a favorite mug to drink a hot beverage from, clay is able to translate well to all walks of life.

Working with students at TAPH this year I have seen this become an important part of what we do. We want to be a place of creativity for those to come, whatever place they may be in their life and find purpose, to find healing. Through this hands-on-experience, students are able to put their hands to the clay and make something from beginning to end. Today we rarely get to see and enjoy the whole process. When asked to one of the students what their favorite part of making the cups was, she replied, “It’s in the process, the making of the whole cup.” What satisfaction to stand back and know that the cup sitting on your table would not have existed if you had not created it.

Abbie Preston
Is the newest member of the Bread of Life, Inc. staff working with The Art Project, Houston
Abbie served with the Bread of Life as a Mission Year Intern from September 2011-July 2012. After her year of service she decided to come back and join the team.
Abbie graduated from Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia in December 2009 with a studio art degree concentrating in ceramics, drawing and painting.  She has been working with clay for the past four years while in school and then moving to Atlanta to teach and serve as an artist in residence at Mudfire Clayworks.
www.abbiepreston.com