Thank You, Lovett Elementary Fine Arts for the Certificate of Artistic Excellence!!!

You are an Outstanding School.  It never occurred to me; that my views on Houston, Texas would have had such an impact.  This was an educational experience, which I enjoyed.  

I got the opportunity to listen and view students from a Houston Public magnet school orchestrate beautiful music.  After talking with the children, I learned they received their musical instrument at a fundamentally early age.  That's wonderful. 

Most of all, Lovett Elementary substantiated my beliefs about Houston.  All the necessary information and resources are here. 

St. John's Church Downtown, the Art Project of Houston and a host of various organizations have greatly enriched my life; since, I returned to my home town. I bank on Houston!  

Thank You Very Much!!!
R.B.H.Yates 
3rd April 15, 2014


Photography by John Bullock of Bullock Art

“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul” - Plato

The Art Project, Houston (TAPH) a project of the Bread of Life, Inc. provides a diversity of opportunities throughout the week for the men and women we serve through the After Dark Shelter to encounter art and tap into their creativity.

We believe that in these encounters people receive healing, joy and are empowered in ways that only creating and being supported in community can bring. Everyone deserves access to the beauty, inspiration and life that interacting with great art can bring, and we are dedicated to providing these encounters for the men and women we serve.

Thursday, September 27, at 6:30 pm, to celebrate the opening of there 25th Anniversary Season, Da Camera of Houston, led by Artistic and General Director, Sarah Rothenberg will brought a free performance to the men and women we serve at The Bread of Life. Sarah led the ensemble made up of three generations of artists, including an artist who performed on Da Camera's first season and several of his current and former students. 

They performed J.S. Bach's Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 1052.  This was a great introduction to classical music for any listener, as well as a wonderful concert for classical music lovers.  In appreciation of the work that the Bread of Life does for the city of Houston, the musicians agreed to donate their services for this performance. 

It was a beautiful!  Over 100 men and women being served dinner by the Bread of Life filled the sanctuary of St. John's Downtown for the concert. The concert was a total of 20-minutes and after each piece the community affirmed the art and asked for an "encoure!"  Throughout the show you could feel a since of peace and aliveness with each beautiful note played.  The music was soothing and offered hope, as Da Camera of Houston offered our community their best.  

Below are a few quotes from attendees as they exited the concert:

"I have always wanted to go to a symphony. Ever since I was a kid. There is probably nothing like being in a symphony hall, but it was so good to finally hear some of a symphony." 

"Thank you. That was really nice, really nice."  (big smile on her face)

"Thank you. That was off the hook! It was medicine. Thank you."

We exist within the Bread of Life, Inc. to provide art encounters and experiences that facilitate the mental healing and empowerment of men and women of the downtown Houston homeless community. We are thankful for artists and organizations in the community who join us in living out this mission.  We hope, with Da Camera of Houston, that last night was the first collaboration of many.

Prescription: Paint 2012 is an interactive paint party FUNdraiser of the Bread of Life, Inc. to support our therapeutic art and empowerment program, The Art Project, Houston.  It will be a memorable morning filled with food, fun and creative expression.

Come dressed to create and leave with your own masterpiece!

Become a Prescription: Paint 2012 Sponsor or Purchase Your Ticket today.

Thanks in advance for your support. 

Friday and Saturday (September 14 & 15) The Art Project, Houston (TAPH) a project of the Bread of Life, Inc. participated in ArtFest 2012 at John Wesley UMC. We exhibited a number of pieces of art created by participants from the Bread of Life, as well as clay Bread of Life coasters created & donated by the youth of Faithbridge UMC who volunteered at the Bread of Life, Inc. over the summer. It was a great show and opportunity to share with another Houston community The Art Project, Houston story and have fun in the process.

We celebrate with all of the TAPH artists who had work exhibited at ArtFest 2012. The work was beautiful and was affirmed by many who stopped by to view. We want to congratulate Larry and Malichia who both had art pieces purchased at the show. 

We look forward to our next exhibition during the month of October at The Doshi House in Third Ward (3419 Dowling Street, Houston, Texas 77004). We will be exhibiting and selling a number of charcoal art expressions created by TAPH participants and artist friends of The Art Project, Houston.

Online gallery of the art created by participants in The Art Project, Houston coming soon. 
If you are interested in having The Art Project, Houston participate in an art show or exhibition you are hosting, please contact Lanecia Rouse, Project Manager, at:
lrouse@breadoflifeinc.org
713-659-3237

The After Dark Art Paint Contest for August 20-23, concluded last night with one 1st Place winner and four 2nd Place winners! The theme for the week was "Expressions of JOY". Five pieces were selected out of 28 entries for guest of the Bread of Life After Dark Shelter to vote for their favorite.

Though one piece received the most votes, all of the art was affirmed by the community. Many of the guest said to Lanecia Rouse, the Project Manager of TAPH, that all five artists were winners and should receive a prize.

So listening to the community, all of the artists in the top five entries received affirmation for their work and received a price. When it was announced we had one 1st Place winner and that the other artists would also receive a prize for their entries, the Bread of Life was filled with claps and cheers of affirmation.  Joy filled the room along with the beautiful cardboard art that had been created during the week.

Life changing, life giving...ART used in therapeutic measures! This is what The Art Project Houston Class is all about. No one leaves this class the way they come in, myself included.  It has been over a year now and to see so many lives changed, so much life given, so many relationships made, so many hearts healed.  I feel honored to be the teacher of this really wonderful experience. We are all healing together, together as friends, companions on the way.  

Art used in therapeutic ways includes colors, pastels, self-portraits, paints, prayer bead making, affirmations, filling sketchbooks with many different self creations, creating "safe places" with art, or just having some fun creating whatever we feel like that day! Writing what we call our "morning pages" always in the presence of silence with beautiful instrumental music filling the room. I would have to say what this class experiences each time we meet is peace and gain the tools necessary to keep this peace.   

I'm a very grateful teacher. I share this wonderful experience with a wonderful friend and also teacher in our class, Roz Grimes. May we all work together in bringing the fullness of art into people's lives, into all our lives.                                       

By: Marie Noack
Marie is the The Art Project, Houston (TAPH ) Art Project class instructor. Since our first rotation in May 2011, Marie has led TAPH student artists through an experience of affirmation and tapping into their creativity.