Does it make any sense to me why our society allows people to fall thru the cracks? Why the disparity is so great? Is what any of us are doing making a difference at all? A friend said to me the other day that if you put a baby fish in a small fish bowl it won’t keep growing… you must offer the large tank of possibility. He also said that among 10 people we might have impact on one or two, but that those one or two will have impact on that many more, and so on.

With great respect and love I thank you for coming to tonight’s dedication of FINDING HOME. About two years ago, I was invited by the Mural Arts Program to partner with artist, Josh Sarantitis, and our assistants Shelby Donnelly & Al Tull to create this large-scale outdoor woven and painted mural (with other assorted technical details incorporating print, sheet metal & cable). The aim of the project was to shed light to issues around homelessness. Over the course of many months, (awesome) Shelby & I orchestrated weaving workshops at homeless shelters, safe havens and public spaces throughout Philadelphia where we wove the ‘mats’ that became the ‘canvas’ for the 12 ft x 50 ft section of the 2200 square foot mural. Many thanks to many. The goal was to bring people together with and without a home to weave side by side. That, perhaps in the process of making art and conversation together, one would recognize that of ‘mother father sister brother son daughter’ in the other, helping to break down the stigma around homelessness.

This past Wednesday, November 9, Institute Alumni and Faculty Kathryn Panenpacker presented at the FINDING HOME mural dedication, which was the genesis of the homemade with the homeless Arts Street Textile Studio. Like Arts Street Textile Studio on facebook, here, read the full speech on their page, and visit the mural at 13th and Ludlow in Center City.