OFT is Chosen

The group OFT of the Urban Ministry Center auditioned for and were chosen to perform 3 songs at Queens University's Black History Month Program on Febuary 28th is Sykes Auditorium. The program begins at 6pm. OFT writes and mixes their own music about their experiences in the Art Works Studio. Please check them out.

Success!

Zenas Fewell is pictured hear in the bedroom of his apartment. The medals on the wall are trophies for speech (Zenas attended a school for the deaf in New Jersey); the others are soccer and hockey medals. Zenas's art which is always infused with words from his poems can be found on every wall of his new place. Zenas, or "Scythe" as he styles himself, has had a great year. 12 months ago at the age of 19 he was camping out in the woods and visiting the Room in the Inn program. He's been in his apartment now for 8 months. He started painting with Art Works and joined our soccer team nearly 20 months ago. Zenas, a veteran of last year's Homeless World Cup, still visits Community Works to play soccer and to participate in our writing group. Attached here in an exceprt fom a recent poem which sums up his positive demeanor these days.

from "Break da chains"

IM ALREADY FREE,
IVE BROKEN DA CHAINS,
AND I WANNA BREAK MORE,
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE SPACES IN THE WORLD WHER I CAN BE FREE,
LET ME RIP THAT GATE OF YOUR FENCE SO YOU CAN COME OUT,
STOMP YOUR FOOT AND SHOUT,
LIKE YOUR IN SOME KINDA PARTY HOUSE,
I CRAVE FOR SO MUCH I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE MORE DO I WANT,
LET ME BREAK DA CHAINZ,
MY HUNGER IS SO STRONG,
I CANT HELP IT
THERES SO MUCH GOOD STUFF AROUND ME THAT I SEE,
AND I WANNA GET IT,
BUT I CANT SNATCH WHAT NEEDS TO BE MINE IN ONE SHOT,
IVE BROKEN DA CHAINS,
I WANNA BREAK MORE,
I WANNA FEEL LIKE I WAS A SUPER ENERGETIC KID,
I WANNA FEEL LIKE I ATE TONS OF MARSHMALLOW SMORES,
I WANNA GO HELL YEA,
AND JUMP AND PUT MY HEAD THROUGH THE CEILING AND LAND MY GOOF ASS ON THE FLOOR,
I WANNA BREAK MORE CHAINS ,
TEAR DA ROOF OFF YOUR LONELY SELF IN THE DARKNESS,
AND GET THE SUMMER SUN TO DRIVE YOU BAZOOKAS,
JUST KEEP YOUR CHIN UP,
YOUR BORN TO BE WILD,
LOST OUTTA NO WHERE ,
I DONT KNOW HOW TO PUT UP WITH MY OWN SMILES,
YEA!
BREAK YOUR CHAINS ,
AND MAKE THE GOOD LIFE OUTTA YOUR OWN PAINS,

Architecture as Activism (class done in collaboration with CW945--syllabus attached

Linda Samuels, professor of Architecture at UNCC, took the initiative to work with Community Works 945 to create course called "Architecture as Activism." I actually had the chance to travel with Linda in her "Mobile Studio," a dark room on wheels which she developed and has used to take semester long classes on the road, investigating the role of roads play in architecture and society. Linda took me in the mobile studio to see a fascinating project called the rural studio ( www.ruralstudio.org ) developed by genius-award winner Sambo Mockbee at Auburn Universty's school of architecture. The project links architecture students to impoverished communities in rural Alabama. In the first projects, students not only designed but built housing out of new and recycled materials for folks living in substandard housing. Go to the website and plan a visit to Montgomery for the rural studio and lots of civil rights history.

The trip has informed our vision and hopes for what the class Linda designed can accomplish here at the UMC. Presently the group is looking at the outdoor space on the Tryon end of the train station. Come hear their design presentation after several weeks of meetings with the community the final wednesday Febuary from 9-12.

Check our the class syllabus heresyllabus%2007.doc

JOIN US--Inscription Progam Launched

The Photo here of Annie Gurly Handing up a screw to our Garden Arbor after suffering her first minor stroke speaks to the quality person Annie is and the contributor she was to our community. This photo accompanied by the text "join us" is on the front page of our new inscription packet. Participant, staff, and volunteers are invited to become official program members. Members agree to the community pledge and vow to uphold the the Community Works 945 ethos. They also set three, six, and twelve month goals. Becoming a member means the opporuntiy to take more responsibility and receive some extra priviledges. Our staff also meets with specifically about members and their personal goals each week. Our members also have a special time set up for job searches with the employment counselor. As we inscribe our first members and creat their ID cards which have vital info on the front and even more vital info (their goals) on the back, we are developing and perfecting our Insciption packet which we will post to the reports section of our website.

MUSIC from our own OFT

The younger crowd we are seeing too much of is so full of talent and troublesome stories. Heartwarming stories too. They have something to say and they have found a powerful outlet in writing rhymes.

The group is called OFT, Over Flow (they met in the overflow room of the men's shelter) Taliban (because they are an outsider group and like to sound controversial). They alternatively call OFT "Our Family Ties." That's how they see each other.
Please listen. You won't be dissappointed.

This is but a sampling of what the community down here can do.

whoops, can't post music yet to the blog.
email me to get a sample disc . . .artworks945@urbanministrycenter.org

Kiln!

Ginny Hargrave of Carolina Clay Connections recruited brand new wiring for the kiln she donated to Art Works 945. The Kiln pictured here is now installed and operational.

Our first firing was of bowls that Trinity Episcopal Students and our participants made as donation to the Soup-er Bowl event that benefits Hospice (Ginny also started this fundraiser).

Kay Etheridge also organzied a collaboration between Art Works 945 and Country Day High School as a result of which more bowls were made and sold to benefit Hospice.

There is a lot of interest around the kiln here. We plan to start weekly ceramics workshops, many of which will be hosted by Clayworks, the ceramic studio sponsored by the McColl center.

Southern Comfort . . .

The writing group has been growing strong. Here is a poem from this week's meeting by Beverly Cowan. Also attending was Pop Miller, Zane, Don, Luis, Michael, and Trill Gates. Our class meets on Fridays and will start meeting on saturdays soon as well.
Today we talked about dedication, craft, and remembering the sleeping soul.

The photo above is of Beverly and here is her poem:


Southern Comfort at the Soup Kitchen


I see you watching me
I watch you seeing me
Do my thing,
Make my deal,
Through utter chaos
To bring us to unity
I am at the crossroads
Of wanting to feel your agility.

I am feeling the emptiness-
while in my godliness.
Your curiosity-
At seeing my nakedness
In world art-
and the theatre of your mind-
giving me the freedom to be free
to offer this soliloquy-
knowing this is my choice-
hearing your voice
your tenacity, to in-ter-ject
of wanting me as your pra-ject
you say I have the po-tent-tial
to be a money maker, rump shaker, biscuit baker
for your p-i-m-p cre-den-tial.


-Beverly K.
Feb. 2007

Hello From Andrea

Peace and Greetings,

Life is an amazing journey. I want to thank start off by thanking Lawrecene and Rob for inviting me to come to the center to facilitate a writing class. Kori and I have been taken aback by the abundance of talent, authenticity and vibrancy of life in our midst and we are humbled by the fact that everyone is so willing to share their lives so openly and candidly with us. We thought we were coming to give something and realized that we have received much more than we anticipated. As I think about the children, women and men who spend their lives on the street I am in awe that a country so rich and powerful could allow this to happen, however, instead of spending my time judging and pointing fingers, I have decided to vent constructively. Writing allows me to do that. So I hope it can be a tool for others as well. I don't think it matters where you are in life, challenges will present themselves. Trust me I know. Having faced eviction with two children to care for, I know what curves life can throw you. But what I also know is that as long as there is breath in ones body, there is always an opportunity to turn any circumstance around, trust me I know that too. Writing has sustained me through it all, and personally, I don't know what I would have done had I not had it to turn to. So what I hope to accomplish through this writing class we have been blessed to be a part of, is to offer an outlet through writing, rhyming, self-expression. I want to personally thank each person individually that has come to the class and hope you will continue to come and share as long as the Spirit moves you!