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.

“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.

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.