Unsheltered Art

Unsheltered Art was an art therapy group for Artists of all backgrounds who represented all aspects of the community of Santa Monica.  We first gathered in May 2021 as an outlet for some of our neighbors who were experiencing homelessness, but as we gathered week after week we began to notice just how therapeutic the art time was for seniors living next door, members of our church family, and other community members who volunteered with us. We were blown away by the talent & creativity that had been transferred from our artists hearts onto the canvases that they had painted on. We had found that with the proper outlet, opportunity, and practice, their skills had shown through in beautiful ways. There is a quote by Maya Angelou which states “You can't use up creativity, the more you use the more you have.”  We certainly found that to be true!

Unsheltered Art was not just about giving the artists a place for artistic expression, but we wanted to let the artists see their true potential. Every few months we aimed to give the artists an opportunity to showcase their talents to the local community by means of an art show.  All proceeds from the artwork were used to provide the artists with practical items from their personal wishlists, which helped assist them in reaching some of their goals.

We are incredibly grateful for all of the time we had sharing in the beauty of creation with people from all walks of life and all skill levels. And our community evening art show was a TOTAL success, with many pieces being auctioned off to help the artists, some amazing live music, and just a wonderful time of encouragement and joy for all involved! A HUGE thank you to everyone who volunteered to help, and to all of our incredibly special artists!