Homeless Awareness: An Art Critique

As I scan the room at the Johnson Street Art Gallery, the many talented artists featured here inspire me to imagine new depths and heights. In an exhibition of artwork all created by people who have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives, it is amazing to feel the energy and passion behind these works of art. My first immediate reaction is to jot down all the impressions that the artworks bring forth, from my spontaneous emotional reactions, to the first impression.

The first work I am drawn to is a colorful piece by Robert MacDonald and it is called Untitled #4 Acrylic on Panel. For some reason I seem to have picked his work from the crowd. Bright orange fire and vivid blue water dance together in this blue and orange dynamic contrast of colors. This particular work conveys strong emotions. I imagine painting for this artist calms a sometimes-chaotic mind. The brush strokes are fervently applied; the work is vibrant, alive, dynamic and chaotic.

My next piece is by the same artist Untitled #6 Acrylic on panel. Here the paint is thick and pops off the canvas. It looks like a carnival wheel turning, cogs in a machine. There is a nice balance of vibrant reds, blues, yellows, and oranges. Again, I am drawn to the bright colors. The work is energetic, and I am beginning to see a pattern with Robert MacDonald’s works. Untitled #3 Acrylic on panel is a piece that is more abstract. All the strokes look like feathers flapping together like a sea of birds. One can see the brush strokes on his work, giving it a sense of liveliness, of movement and speed.

On a different medium, Luke Garrison’s photomontage piece titled Metropolitan is a character driven work of art. A woman, her head half in shadows, stares apprehensively at the moon. Above her in the distance is a city, tall rises. The lines are curved and fluid, the sky circles the water ripples. Her wide mouth gives a look of astonishment. Shadows on the forehead shows a person who has made mistakes, who is partially covered in darkness. And the choice of monochromatic grays helps to create a more somber mood. Perhaps she is plagued by her thoughts. Perhaps Garrison sees himself in this picture.

On a more practical note, artist Vicki Bailey has a gem of a piece titled Possibility, acrylic on canvas. Just the title alone gives away the theme of the work. The focus is in the middle of a room, on an empty space where possibilities abound. In one corner is a table with a nice peachy colored tablecloth, matching peach walls. In another corner is a window. I like the emphasis on the empty space. It conveys a message--a chance to start new, a fresh start to a new life. The artist has a good sense of balance and of spatial awareness.

The sixth piece of art I examine is Untitled #1 by Paula Johnson. This piece is very abstract. My immediate reaction is to think modernism, retro, the 60s, hipsters. There are many round shapes outlined in black. To me, it looks vaguely like two humans talking, two people having a conversation. What is even more interesting, though, is the choice to paint on cardboard material. It shows a dedication to art and an ingenuity, the artist is willing to use whatever materials are available at the time where she is living—even on the streets.

The last artwork I viewed is called The Fall of Icarus, graphite on paper by Jan Morris. This is an extremely intricate, detailed sketch of a man falling from the sky into the ocean. He is falling into a shadow of darkness, yet he falls gracefully. His arms and legs are positioned like a graceful dancer. His hand reaches up as if to grasp the sky in desperation. He has no face. It is blank. This must be a deliberate choice by Morris. He is everyman falling from grace, from the heavens.

There were other paintings at the exhibit that I didn’t have the time to write about here, but they are also worth checking out. All in all, the exhibit was full of interesting and valuable art. And 100% of the proceeds go directly to the artists, which is great. It is definitely worth it to take a couple of hours out of your day to view some pretty remarkable works of art.