… This is where my mural is now, unfinished with a long way to go. this is the stage of painting where i look at it and say, ”ugh..gross..this is never going to work..toss it all out and don’t look back… don’t waste anymore supplies on it.
…But.
My artist’s notes at this point say this, ”I started out just painting a picture of something meaningful that had purpose, but still just a picture. the voices of the voiceless, depicting real homeless people that I knew and their personal context voices that would portray a deeper, more empathetic and engaging understanding than the typical stereotypes, stigma, and sensationalism society seems stuck in….but then, something entirely unexpected and different overtook me as I started to draw and paint the homeless persons I met on the corner of main and 23rd. they popped out of the canvas at me, and i met them all over again, after all this time has passed. we said hello again, this time with an embrace. I was flooded with awe as the truth and responsibility of this painting popped out at me — I must represent each person, each person’s home that they carry with them in carts and packs, with complete respect as I make each stroke on the canvas.. and be utterly accurate in how they chose to organize and store and protect their roaming homes and Selves; on the canvas as in real life.
… I was hit by such a deep respect for my new responsibility to paint my fellows of Main street and 23rd as they were and still are, their body posture, as much personality or defenses or problems as they allow the public to see, their favorite hat or shirt, a broken shoe that has been worn to a perfect fit, style of dress, their favorite item, their typical daily routine.
…as we said hello at my canvas, I offered them the safety and permanent home of my canvas. as that awesome responsibility to preserve their humanity and individual personhood, as their construction of a community on 23rd and main popped out of me, this mural became more than a painting. I fell in love. my canvas was coming alive.” — Heidi Hansen, September 15, 2018.
If you like what you see here, and would like to become a part-owner by helping fund this project, Heidi is accepting donations through Cash App. The link is: cash.app/$doghotel2018 — Thank you!
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Check in here every now and again for more photos of the progress of this mural, ”Voices of the Voiceless,” with artist’s notes if any are to be had. when this mural is finished, it will be used as a fundraiser for my Trauma Project, which is a new series of educational workshops, sidewalk outreach and support groups for those who suffer from trauma, and those who want to know more about it so they can help others, too. all those trauma project services are meant to get people trauma-informed, and teach the trauma survivors how to gain mastery over their experiences and what to do to be happy, joyous and free to live life as they deserve and of their own choosing and control. all these services are free, so the funds gathered from this mural will help cover my overhead and supplies so I can do a really terrific job for those who want to participate. email me at dog.hotel.hansen@gmail.com for more information or if I can answer your questions or schedule you into a workshop. thanks, be well — Heidi Hansen, m.a.
the trauma project 