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Art From The Streets is a project in Austin that involves the homeless. It consists of twice-weekly open studio art classes, with donated materials and volunteer facilitators.
Once a year, the artists can choose to show and offer their works for sale through the project. This year, the days are November 6th and 7th, at Saint David's Trinity Center, at 7th and Trinity, Austin, Texas.
I participated in the last class this year before the November show, and I can tell you, it was a community of artists engaged in producing individual works in a group setting: intense, focused, occasionally playful, occasionally competitive.
Because of the opportunity to produce and sell their works, some homeless artists have been able to transition to artists with homes.
If you have the chance to be in Austin at the time of the show--and you collect art or just enjoy contemporary work-- check this show out. You will find much to delight and intrigue you.
Also check out the documentary film about this project. Be sure to read the director's statement about the film and the project.
Oh, excellent. (And I'm honored by the mention.)
ReplyDeletethis is a great initiative, it is so good this project...
ReplyDeletecan help more as we can image..
the paint above take me totally
This time around, I'm noticing how troubling the green is. As if her pose doesn't suggest enough fatigue or defeat, that is not a happy or youthful or fertile green. And of course, the chain link fence just adds to all that.
ReplyDeleteI tend to think of this as ultra-realism, but I suppose it's also surrealism . . . ?
Labels, like captions and titles can be the dickens, can't they.
Thank you, AH. This program does so many things right, particularly respecting human dignity and value.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura.
Banjo, context matters, doesn't it?