Each Monday and Thursday, volunteers and guests gather in our art room to create together. Some guests choose to paint or draw. Some work on ongoing projects – a series of sketches or an evolving sculpture. Some sit in the corner, a bit removed from the group, making art out of words or abstract lines on a scrap sheet of paper. However our guests choose to be creative, we are joyful and privileged to provide Central ArtWorks as a safe space for them. Many guests over the years have been a part of ArtWorks – some come to our center once, draw a picture, and never come back to receive services again. Others come again and again to rest and create.
Drew (name changed) is one such guest. Drew is currently experiencing homelessness and has been for some time. He is quiet, reserved, and soft spoken. But he is an artist at heart. Drew has participated in our Central ArtWorks fundraiser since its conception, and has even drawn some pictures of our executive director’s dogs to hang in her house. Drew’s artistic talent is incredible, and we are blessed each week to watch him create breathtaking art in our center.
Evan (name changed) is another guest that has been a long-time participant in Central ArtWorks. Evan first came to COAC to get an ID. He was experiencing homelessness and needed help getting back on his feet. Evan is now stably housed, but continues to come back each Thursday to make art with us. It’s impossible to walk through the art room without Evan saying hi to you, smiling ear to ear, and proudly displaying his art.
Our guests are not the only ones who are profoundly affected by Central ArtWorks. Our dedicated volunteer, Mark Smith, reflects on his time making art with our guests in these words:
“Coming into the OAC every Thursday begins a travel in time for me. But unlike travel going forward or back to other times, it’s travel into the moment, into what this day is and is going to be. That’s what I come for each week. My excursion from wherever I was into something that might be or might not be. We don’t need a result, product, or solution. I won’t know what’s happening until the doors open.
This freshness, this requirement to get ready but not prepare is my antidote to the workings of my own life, to the steady rhythm under my thoughts. Just as we offer our guests, the class is a special space for us all – a room without an agenda. Where we’re free but contained in the world we want to imagine, playing the way our skills suggest or listening to what it is we hear.
When asked about the class I host, I fumble with possible responses. I could say it’s a service I’m part of, or I’m trying to right what’s wonky or be a brother, all probably involved. In truth, though, it’s enough to be there when barriers fall, when smiles flare or tears of tiredness dry.”
At Central OAC, we are always striving to break barriers and provide rest for some of the people who need it the most. Central ArtWorks is only a piece of what we have to offer our guests, and the stories of Evan and Drew are only a couple out of hundreds. We would love for you to be a part of this story, too. And you can be, by joining us for Central ArtWorks: Art Opens Windows one week from today! This annual fundraiser showcases the art of our guests and raises money for the crucial services we provide. To buy your ticket today, click here. For more information about the event, take a look at our Facebook page. We hope to see you there!