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/

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).

As a volunteer and visiting guest artist at The Art Project, Houston, I was blessed with the experience of Life, Love, Belief, Prayer, and Faith!  These are more than just mere actions or words to the people of The Art Project they are a ministry of words and actions that call, push, and urge us to take a journey. Regardless of if we are seeking a corporate journey or a more personal spiritual path.  As I witnessed people entering into this area of art and wonder, I knew without a doubt, I was in the company of Christians that cared and loved deeply for those around them and for the art that they strived to create.

One of my professors at seminary, Dr. Dwight Judy writes, “Wherever there is an act of creation,
there is God.  God is a universal and eternal process of creating and sustaining the universe and every created
entity.”[1] hat is what I witnessed at The Art Project, Houston, a place where God is seenand experience in the act of creation!

 [1] Judy,
Dwight H. Quest for the Mystical Christ: Awaking the Heart of Faith, Akron, Ohio: OSL Publications, 2003, 51.

“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.

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

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!