Conscious Party: ‘The Thread That Binds’ art show

WESTERN SCENERY: This untitled painting by local artist Hydro is one of the works that will be on display and available for purchase on May 5 at Ginger's Revenge as part of "The Thread That Binds." The show is the second for the I Am Home Art Project, which provides members of the local homeless community an opportunity to create and sell art and keep all of their earnings. Image courtesy of I Am Home Art Project

WHAT: An exhibition to benefit I Am Home Art Project

WHEN: Saturday, May 5, 4-7 p.m.

WHERE: Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Drive, Suite 100

WHY: Late in September 2017, Janet Taylor and a volunteer brought art supplies to the AHOPE day center and Haywood Street Congregation, sat at a table and invited people from the homeless community to join them and create art. Thus began the I Am Home Art Project, whose mission is “to provide a safe and nurturing environment where those without a place to call home can express themselves through art, and in the process experience healing, dignity and hope.”

Less than three months later, seven of the program’s artists exhibited their work at Ginger’s Revenge and made $615 selling originals and prints, 100 percent of which went to the artists.

“[The I Am Home artists] couldn’t believe we were going to have a show,” says Taylor, the program’s founder and executive director. “It was like a big party. They were so pleased.”

I Am Home returns to the ginger beer brewery on Saturday, May 5, for the nonprofit’s second art show, The Thread That Binds. Participating artists include Copper, Michael, A.J., Blue, Hydro, Jessie, Ellie and Chris, each of whom was given a large frame to display one of their creations. Thanks to an increase in donated supplies, Taylor says the show will feature more canvases than its predecessor and that the artists are approaching it with a different mindset.

“They’ve taken it more seriously now,” she says. “Some have always sketched, but not sat in a place and made art for a show. It’s a more serious effort.”

Attendees may meet the artists and purchase their work, each of which carry a minimum suggested donation amount. Also part of the event is a live collaborative painting, in which I Am Home’s artists and its nine local volunteer artists will take turns adding to a 4’x6’ canvas. The finished creation will be auction off at the end of the night and proceeds will go toward the program’s operations.

“We do that sometimes during our art time together where someone starts and passes it around the table. You end up with something you’d never expect,” Taylor says.

In addition to The Thread That Binds show, I Am Home has also been invited to participate in Show & Tell’s Spring Pop Up Shop at Asheville Social Hall, May 10-20. The Frugal Framer and Blackbird Framing are partnering with the nonprofit and have donated framing and matting.

The Thread That Binds art show takes place Saturday, May 5, 4-7 p.m. at Ginger’s Revenge, 829 Riverside Drive, Suite 100. iamhomeartproject.com

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About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA). Follow me @EdwinArnaudin

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