Ellington

Homeless children in the U-District will get the opportunity to show their art pieces in an exhibit held at the UW School of Social Work this winter quarter.

The pieces were compiled at the Sanctuary Art Center, a non-profit, University Lutheran Church-based organization designed to teach creativity to youth.

Homeless youth and young adults ages 13 to 25 attend sessions at the art center. About 14 young adults at a time go to drop-in sessions where they create drawings, paintings, sculptures, T-shirt designs, stained glass, play guitar and drums, and work on other art they find soothing.

“Some art pieces are very telling,” said Jamie Lee, director of development for the Sanctuary Art Center. “There is one piece in our permanent collection that shows a person walking with a single rain cloud over his head … [representing] that bad luck follows you everywhere.”

The Sanctuary Art Center also has an education program, which is partnered with the Interagency Academy, an alternative school in Seattle that allows young adults to get credit toward their GEDs by participating in the program. Art pieces from students of the education program are shown in the exhibit as well.

At the art center, children learn different lessons every day instead of focusing on just one piece of art over a certain amount of time, and some of their art is shown to the public when completed.

The opening reception for the art exhibit was held at the UW School of Social Work on Jan. 11, and the showing continues until March 15. Madeline Galbraith, co-chair of the art committee at the School of Social Work, said homeless youth don’t usually get to show their artwork to the public, and most of the art pieces are very powerful and passionate.

“We want to get the work that is done by the youth out in the community so they can feel appreciated and accomplished,” Lee said.

Some youth face issues with dysfunctional homes, the trauma of everyday life, and living on the streets, Galbraith said.

Michael Winans, co-chair of the art committee at the UW, believes art has the ability to soak up bad memories and thoughts for these youth and work as an outlet for their life struggles,

“Art can absorb time and mind and help [kids] get away from their everyday lives,” said Winans.

For the art pieces on sale, 90 percent of the profits go to the young artists and the rest goes to the Sanctuary organization, whose mission is “to provide a safe, warm, and calm environment for homeless and street involved youth to experience creativity and success through the use of various artistic media.”

“[The Art Center] is a place to go for children to create something, get off the streets, and clean up,” Galbraith said.

Lee said the Sanctuary Art Center gives children the opportunity to connect with their community through their art.

Art shows by this organization are held all over the Seattle area sporadically throughout the year. Some young adults choose to play music rather than drawing on a canvas. Sets of drums and other instruments are available at the art center, which will also hold a benefit concert Feb. 14.

“[Sanctuary] teaches creativity as an outlet for the stresses and the things youth are going through,” Lee said. “Creativity [is] almost a form of therapy.”

Reach reporter Kaitlynn Miller at news@dailyuw.com.