Art in Community among the Poor

This was part of a series of paintings I did a few years ago. We were doing drawing sessions with a few artists in our community at the time and this yeang man had been off the streets and off of drugs for a few months. He was an imortant voice in our community. I liked how the bookshelves in the back became unnamed compartments, like the un discifered letters, pointing to the mystery of who we are. I appreciate the moments when I have been able to directly draw or paint people who never saw themselves as worthy subjects.