Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Art and Home

Imagine you live on the street. Where is your venue for self expression? Do you care or is that so far off your radar because you are cold, hungry, afraid, sick, addicted and desperate to simply survive another day?

I don't have the answer. I'm not even certain about the relevance of my questions! Some people are without society's concept of home because they want to be. Some people on the street have homes and can't go to them because they are not safe.

I do know that many people not living within the construct of walls and roof are simply not seen by those of us who do live within these constructs. Living outside the normal boundaries of society's dream can come with the price of not being seen. You are outside the realm of others vision of acceptability. If you are not seen, do you question your place in the world? Do you drift outside of yourself or do you drift inward? I imagine it is as individual as each being.

I do know that, for myself, I can examine my interconnection with the "all" through self-expression. For me, this is sometimes facilitated in the form of visual art.
So, I'm thinking about the possibility of getting some local art supply stores to donate sketchbooks and other art supplies to the shelters and folks on the street. I think it is a fairly simple way to facilitate a form of self expression. I would love to gather drawings from the street and create a show for the whole community that may start a dialogue - perhaps create a conduit for our brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers who are suffering from invisibility to reconnect to that sense of being part of the "whole". A picture truly is worth a thousand words and art can transcend borders.
Let me know what you think.

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