Monks Jazz Club
Origin Story
RECEIVED Sun., May 31, 2015
Dear Editor,
Many thanks to the Austin Critics Table and the Chronicle, for the well-deserved induction of my friend Heloise Gold into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame. The article by Robert Faires [“Local Heroes,” Arts & Culture, May 29] about her was excellent in almost every aspect, except one. Heloise started Art From the Streets with her good friend and longtime collaborator, Beverly Bajema, not Christi Pate. Beverly and Heloise began doing projects together in the Eighties. Their projects were based on ongoing practices of various kinds, one of which, in 1991, began with handing out sandwiches during lunch at a local homeless shelter. The sandwich thing wasn't person-to-person enough for them, so they got permission to start art-making sessions with the homeless people who frequented the center. Because of the welcoming and supportive atmosphere they created, the sessions grew in popularity. Christi Pate and I joined the two of them some months later, and eventually we all produced what turned out to be the first annual show and sale of work by the homeless artists who were participating in the weekly sessions. Since then, Art From the Streets has become a national model for such projects and is currently at work on its 23rd Annual Homeless Art Show (Dec. 5-6, 2015, at the Austin Convention Center). Beverly and Heloise continue to carry out their ongoing-practice projects to this day, resulting in challenging, inspiring, and beautiful works in a variety of media: drawings, paintings, photographs, dances, and music. Austin is lucky to have both of them as part of its dynamic arts community.
Many thanks to the Austin Critics Table and the Chronicle, for the well-deserved induction of my friend Heloise Gold into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame. The article by Robert Faires [“Local Heroes,” Arts & Culture, May 29] about her was excellent in almost every aspect, except one. Heloise started Art From the Streets with her good friend and longtime collaborator, Beverly Bajema, not Christi Pate. Beverly and Heloise began doing projects together in the Eighties. Their projects were based on ongoing practices of various kinds, one of which, in 1991, began with handing out sandwiches during lunch at a local homeless shelter. The sandwich thing wasn't person-to-person enough for them, so they got permission to start art-making sessions with the homeless people who frequented the center. Because of the welcoming and supportive atmosphere they created, the sessions grew in popularity. Christi Pate and I joined the two of them some months later, and eventually we all produced what turned out to be the first annual show and sale of work by the homeless artists who were participating in the weekly sessions. Since then, Art From the Streets has become a national model for such projects and is currently at work on its 23rd Annual Homeless Art Show (Dec. 5-6, 2015, at the Austin Convention Center). Beverly and Heloise continue to carry out their ongoing-practice projects to this day, resulting in challenging, inspiring, and beautiful works in a variety of media: drawings, paintings, photographs, dances, and music. Austin is lucky to have both of them as part of its dynamic arts community.
Bill Jeffers
