Category: Homeless

Mollie Loses Home

Some people live in their cars when they have no other place to live. When the police remove their cars, for presumably lawful reasons, the inhabitants lose their place of residence. So, she and her boyfriend of 18 months live outside. Not a comfortable place to be as the tropical storm approaches.

Not sure how she can manage a positive look. Wouldn’t call it a smile. But its a lot better than I could do if it were me.

James Kitchen, Sculptor for Stavros

 

Stavros works with people with disabilities, finding them residences, services and anything that can make their lives more liveable and life’s equipment more accessible. James Kitchen who uses discarded materials for his works and donates proceeds to endless causes built this to provide imagery for Stavros. An artist cannot do better than when their art promotes social justice.

Franklin County Emergency Shelter

So, we heard that the shelter in Springfield ran out of food. The shelter near our apartment in Greenfield isn’t doing so badly but could always use some of everything. Whaddaya need? Juice, oil, towels, etc. So, we brought them the above and three pizza and some soda. Got thanks we didn’t deserve. Thank you for the chance to meet and talk.

You gotta believe how hard it is to get a job that offers some future. People don’t choose to live in these group homes. Getting out of them is a challenge.

Ian Senior-Amherst Street-Tom Bookstore

Some days you do and some days you don’t. Cannot predict what the shoots entail or how you feel about them or yourself when you finish. Different subjects create different emotions and require different skills. One in a studio. One on the street. One in a store.

 

 

Johnny B On Main St Greenfield MA


So, he said he fell. They all do. First time we spoke, usual conversation: “life is good; I will get it together.” Living around. Doesn’t expect to find work. Told him I would send a picture, but he doesn’t do computers or have an address. I will print one and deliver it on the street. “You can find me easy; I ain’t goin nowhere.”

I gave him a dollar. “Can you give me two so I can buy a beer.”

Northampton MA

He remembered me from a street shoot. I didn’t recognize hem. Sort of put me off guard, so I didn’t inquire how he got to Northampton. I be better known in the street, than in the studio.

He didn’t usually like to have his image shot. But liked my style. Used to hang out near Harvard Square. Visited art galleries. Likes collages.

Got kicked out of a wet shelter the night before for getting in an argument. “Been on the streets for 24 years…. You go to those places and they got druggies, junkies and drunks. How you not going to have an argument?”

City Hall Park Art


Larry Glen and Kevin couldn’t decide if the pieces which look like furniture were art. They had no trouble deciding that, on this cold day, it wasn’t a good idea to sit on either the sofa or the chair. Both are made of metal and it was 5 degrees.

I mean, what is art? The chair image ain’t the chair; it represents the chair, lacks the function of the chair, has its design, but it ain’t real. It must be art, eh? Too cold, though to talk with these connoisseurs about the topic. It was too cold to even have a camera; I shot with Canon S90, which I kept in my pocket where it fogged up.

Kevin came from Barre. “Don’t drink the water there,” I was told when we came to VT. He has stage 5 colon cancer. In town to go to the doctor and see his social worker, he hopes that Make a Wish will send him to Japan for his last fling to see amime and the life there. He don’t care about cold. He’s still alive. Go live, my man. You have courage.

 

Larry and Matt Sweet have a tent. No way these guys do the shelter thing; too many rules. Know how to camp in the tent. Keep out the drafts and cold air.

Joe knows some kids, maybe college kids, who let him sleep in a utility room. They give him beer, pot, and food. He offered me some of his pina colada. Not exactly a drink I would drink, assuming I would drink in the park on a day like this, even if I were thirsty or going through withdrawl. I associate pina coladas with warm weather and tropical breezes, not sub arctic cold.

Connor and Country. I cannot be sure. They were looking for someone or something, they thought.

Keith came out for tobacco. I could not see coming out for something to smoke. A hospital appointment, sure; you got nowhere to go or you don’t know where you are, sure; but tobacco …. What a country. We all get a vote, too.

Damn, it was cold. And the cold doesn’t usually bother me. Tomorrow, colder. Joe said only the really hard core would be out tomorrow. We will see.