After working with Freedom House, I have realized the importance of promoting non-profit organizations. As a design major, I realized how difficult it is to bring art to a facility that has such a wide variety of needs. Freedom House needed much more than promotional material—they needed art on the walls to make their home more welcoming and colorful. Since Freedom House provides basic needs for the homeless in our community, they can’t focus on promoting their events and secondary needs as much as they would like to. Although the organization helps get people in our community back on their feet, their building needs a bit of work. Instead of white walls, or photographs from the 80s, I want to see art that represents the space and lets the residents know they are not alone. Bright colors and eye-catching pieces would help anyone feel more at home and welcomed with open arms.
For my final project in Intermediate Printmaking, I am making a series of screenprinted portraits. Each portrait displays real people going through tough times. These posters will hopefully be displayed in the main hallways of Freedom House in place of what is there now.
With these images, I wanted to put a face to homelessness in Wisconsin. I wanted the individuals to be seen as people who may be struggling but have the same emotions and issues as everyone else. Which is on top of not having the day-to-day necessities to live. Although Freedom House is not a stereotypical homeless shelter because it supports families, I chose to represent adults who may be struggling but have a glimmer of hope.
