‘Very healing’: Exhibit showcases work by Miami artists experiencing homelessness
At 67, Barry Glenn still carries the creative spirit that once drew him toward a career in the arts. The former model and ballet dancer spent much of his young adult life pursuing success in Miami and New York.
But that dream began to unravel when he became addicted to drugs and ended up homeless.
“I just thank God that I’m still alive right now,” he said. “You have to stay looking young, stay looking nice, and keep moving.”
Now, he is getting back on his feet — and picking up a paintbrush.
The entrance of Amerant Bank in Coral Gables was filled Wednesday evening with artwork from the fourth annual Camillus House art showcase, “Empowerment Through Art,” including pieces by Glenn. The exhibition featured original works created by clients of the nonprofit Camillus House, who are rebuilding their lives after homelessness, trauma, addiction and mental health challenges.
Glenn stood near the entrance painting a live scenic beach view as guests arrived. He has participated since 2019 in the Camillus House art therapy program, a holistic recovery initiative at its facility at 1603 NW Seventh Ave. The program provides free professional instruction in a variety of artistic mediums to help participants heal, rebuild self-confidence and express themselves.
Participants in the program had the opportunity to sell their work at the art show and earn income from their pieces. Half of the proceeds go directly to the artists, while the remaining half are reinvested into Camillus House to help fund and sustain the art program. The paintings that were not purchased during the show will soon be available for purchase online through the organization’s website.
Glenn — who has been provided an apartment through Camillus housing programs — attends three classes each week, spending at least four hours per session.
He says the class has given him a sense of community.
“Everybody needs somebody sometime,” he said. “They might not need you today, but they might need you tomorrow, even if that’s just to pat you on the back or shake your hand.”
The classes are taught by Miami-based artist David Rohn, best known for his interactive performance and visual art, including his 2018 “Street Peeps” series. In the project, Rohn used wheat-pasted images of himself in various disguises inspired by people experiencing homelessness, aiming to draw attention to how they are seen and treated in public spaces.
Rohn said he has long been wanting to help people experiencing homelessness. He recalled bringing food downtown to those in need and later distributing socks, which earned him the nickname “Sock Man.”
In 2020, he was hired as a Camillus House art instructor, a position he had pined for for more than a year before it became available.
“Some people come in and say, ‘I can’t draw,’” he said. “I tell them to start with stick figures or boxes. In modern art, anything goes. People begin to evolve, get ideas from one another and try new materials. They open up like flowers. It’s really fun to see.”
He said the program provides an important emotional outlet for participants.
He recalled a day when a man attended a class and painted a house with a tree. The man later said he wanted to add words to his piece, and Rohn gave him some instructions and tips.
“When I came back 20 to 30 minutes later, he had written, ‘I miss Dad,’” he said. “I told him, ‘That’s very personal. That’s beautiful.’”
The man said he was finished with the piece and declined to take it home.
“I realized he just needed to get it out,” Rohn said. “I think a lot of people, they just haven’t had much positive interaction in their lives, and so the art is a way for them to find out that they can create a positive reaction of their own.”
New York City native Patricia Battles also had her work on display. The 37-year-old, who is currently homeless and has been diagnosed with PTSD and parathyroid disease, said art has become an important outlet.
“I just wanted a space where I could put out my emotions and really express myself so I can cope,” she said. “Art is very healing for me.”
Battles focuses on abstract, colorful spirals. While she has painted since childhood, she said this style developed after joining Camillus House, calling it her “Patricia style.”
“The goal that we have is to transform lives,” said Camillus House CEO Eddie Gloria. “When people come to us, they’ve lost community, they’ve lost connection, they’ve lost hope. And when you’re in that state of pure survival, you can’t think about creativity. You’re only surviving.”
“And when people start creating with us, that’s a sign things are heading in the right direction, that we’re making a change, that people feel supported and that they begin to reconnect with their purpose,” he said.
