At first glance, it may seem like a program that gives Austin’s homeless the chance to paint, for free, twice a week isn’t going to do a lot of good.
Zebra knows better.
“We don’t have a home,” she said. “But the fact I sold 63 paintings last year and (Zebra’s boyfriend) John Curran sold 73 pieces — we have a home here. I don’t think we missed a session this year.”
Art From the Streets, housed in the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, allows participants to meet twice a week for four hours to paint, draw, take pictures — whatever they want to do. Every year in August, organizers begin collecting the artwork that participants want to sell, and volunteers begin the monumental task of mounting and pricing over 2,000 individual pieces. In November, the pieces are sold over a two-day period. Minus a small mounting fee, all the money goes directly into the artists’ pockets.
When I passed through the metal detector into the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, I was bounced around by a couple of staffers until one of the program coordinators had John, a participant in the program, bring me upstairs to a quiet conference room. There, Zebra, who has been in the program for six years, was helping one of the coordinators, Yvonne Baughman, organize and label the art.
In 1991, some local movement artists wanted to reach out to the homeless, so they started taking sandwiches to the local shelter. Soon after, they decided to take along some art supplies as well — and that was the start of Art From the Streets.
A year later, the organizers decided to host the first show and sale of the participants’ paintings. In 1992, they included the works of 30 artists and 400 people attended. Total proceeds were between $1,600 and $1,900. Now, the artists sell up to 80 pieces during the show.
During the sale, artists stand near their works and talk with customers throughout the day. To Zebra, seeing her customers return year after year to buy her paintings is “awesome.” Her colorful paintings are designed to appeal to children, featuring many African animals as well as her trademark dancing monkeys.
“My mother came one year,” Zebra recalled. “One lady said ‘I have a whole collection of your work,’ and begged for some of the pieces that weren’t for sale – a group of ladies asked for the dancing monkeys, and bought five or six pieces last year.”
Baughman often helps with the art sessions. She discovered the program when she attended one of the show and sale events and immediately decided she wanted to volunteer. She is friendly but firm, and she shooed out several participants who wanted to look at their mounted art after the session had ended.
“For me, [this program is successful] when I see someone who has a harsh life, bloom,” she said. “Their creativity blossoms, and it’s the joy of seeing them do what they didn’t think they could do and have their work valued by others.”
There is no question that in many ways, Zebra’s life is harsh, but she is quick to tell how much good the show has done for her. She met John during her first year in the program and they’ve been together ever since, and building connections with those who admire and purchase her artwork has done her an intangible good.
“It’s like Christmas to see all my work on the walls,” she said. “And there were ladies with their babies that were pregnant last year – they ask, ‘Do you remember me?’ Of course I remember you! Every time they look at my art it sends me love.”
WHAT: Art From the Streets
WHEN: Saturday, Sunday; noon – 5 p.m.
WHERE: Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, 500 East Seventh Street
TICKETS: $3 suggested donation
MORE INFO: artfromthestreets.com
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