Nearly Complete

The color is starting to fade because the markers are washable and the mural gets a lot of sun.  The benefit though is that next summer's group might be able to color it in all over again

Sculpture sculpture!

The youth build this tree every week from the ground up.  Each component (soil, roots, trunk, fruit and leaves) is coupled with a discussion/activity related to some concept central to social justice/theology as we as a staff understand them.  

This is a Friday night prayer station: each rock has a person, thing, or concept attached.  Think about the week, and find two or more things that have been separated that need to be reunited.  Stack the corresponding rocks on top of one another in the middle of the circle

The Second Tree

The mural keeps growing!

Coloring the mural

Washable markers

BSM Youth Initiative Mural

This is a mural in the room where the youth sleep during their week at Broad Street Ministry.  It's sharpie on white washed dry wall

Page 10

Page 9

Page 8

Page 7

Page 6

Page 5

I've been thinking about the book of kells

Line Sixteen

It's very political

Page 4

We have the same source

Page 3

Almost done

Page 2

Page 1

This paper reminds me of good friends

The Mandala Book

I found this blank journal in my room: It was a gift, but I've never filled the pages before because I wasn't sure what I wanted it to be.  Now I know: pen and ink drawings depicting variations on the mandala, an originally Hindu/Buddhist art form that aids a person in meditation.  This blog will follow the progress of the book, page by page, until it is full.  

Line Fifteen

bug(s)

Line Fourteen

thought(s)

Line Thirteen

progress

this engine might be missing parts

it keeps running

hard

Line Twelve

dream(s)

Is the mind is more chaotic than it is orderly?

Something from the street

I've done tattoo designs before, but it's never been something I've ever been especially serious about.  But work at the cafe has me thinking more about where art and environment meet, and what that looks like.  I live in a city, I work in a city.  I'm finding myself interested in shifting away from ink drawings and more towards projects that reflect the essence of Philly and what life on the street is about.  Namely, tattoos, graffiti and found art sculpture.  I've been thinking more and more about "street art" (Philly's got thousands of murals, mosaics) and am increasingly tempted to roam streets late at night with paint.  

In the meantime, this is the first draft of a tattoo for Pedro, a coworker at the cafe.  The finished product is going to cover his arm between the two tattoos he already has and will include numerous influences from puerto rico, where his family is originally from.  Keep checking in to see how the drawing evolves, and how it turns out as a tattoo.