Artistic Vision at Street Level

The real function of an artist is to give fresh vision to their own generation. 

– Doris McCarthy

The smallest things sometimes cause the greatest stir. In the case of Brian’s photo of water reflecting a diving swallow, it was the subtlety of a small bird acting like a barnstorming pilot as it was framed by a Colorado Springs tunnel. Maybe more, it was Brian’s ability to describe the process he went through in noticing the bird in the first place and taking pictures in hope of catching the bird in flight. The swallow’s reflection, as it ends up, was a bonus.

And at this fall’s first Street Level show featuring art from the homeless and formerly homeless, it was the conversation starter that brought viewer after viewer to stand in front of Brian’s photo. “Find the Swallow and Its Reflection” became the thing to do that evening, in part because the swallow brought the photo to life—just as Brian had anticipated as he waited to take the just-right image of the just-right moment at few months ago.

But it didn’t stop there. Because Brian had spent time on the streets homeless and scrambling to survive, he had to find his own places of whimsy and comfort. There is humor in his shot of a Queen Anne wingback stuck somewhere in the middle of Fountain Creek. He has his own story about the security of sleeping within a few feet of active train tracks, and somehow his picture of a passing train makes sense in that light. Brian sees drainage ditches and abandoned buildings with intact glass through an artist’s eye seasoned in the unique crucible of homelessness.

It’s tough to explain without seeing the pictures, of course. The good news is that Brian’s work (and there’s more than there’s room here to describe) is on display for the entire month of December at Café 225 at 225 North Weber Street in downtown Colorado Springs. The Cafe is open from 7 am -5 pm Monday through Friday, and Sunday from 7 am – noon. You can stop by for coffee and browse the work yourself, or come to one of the Street Level Homeless Art Gallery events from 5 -7 pm on December 7^th, 14^th or 28^th and chat with Brian himself.

The Street Level events will also feature the work of other artists who are, or have been, homeless. There  will be a variety of projects on display ranging from jewelry to pen and ink to photography and more at Street Level. Some of the artists will be available at the December events, as well.

One more thing: the Street Level artists whose work is featured have all been helped by Springs Rescue Mission’s Resource Advocate Program, which connects our homeless neighbors with the help they need for medical care, housing, job hunting, and more. You can make donations to support RAP and the people it serves at Street Level events through the Independent Give! Campaign through December.

Please join us this month and enjoy the fresh artistic vision of these artists at Street Level!