McAuley House Artists

McAuley House artists show their heart in annual benefit exhibit

Published: February 10, 2015 11:15 PM
Comments
The Providence Journal /
Linda King is one of the artist-residents at McAuley House, a nonprofit that provides meals and support for at-risk populations.


By Bill Van Siclen

Journal Arts Writer

bvansicl@providencejournal.com

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A few years ago, one of the artists in Kathy King’s Tuesday-morning art class had an idea. What if all the artists got together and donated some of the work they’d made during the previous few months? They could have a show and invite friends and family.

And who knows? They might even sell a few pieces.

“At this point, I really don’t remember who had the original idea,” King says. “All I know is that we all kind of looked at each other and said: ‘That’s a great idea. Let’s do it!’”

On Thursday, King and her class will celebrate their ninth annual “From the Heart” art exhibit at McAuley House, a nonprofit that provides meals and support services for at-risk populations, including homeless people and people struggling with mental illness and addiction.

“For the artists, this is really one of the high points of the year,” says King, a licensed psychotherapist and amateur artist who volunteers as McAuley House’s art coordinator.

As usual, the exhibit will be held in the cozy second-floor room that doubles as the McAuley House art studio. Any proceeds will be divided between the artists, who can use it for anything they want, and the art program, which uses the money to buy paints and other art supplies.

“One of the great things about the exhibit is watching the artists react when one of their pieces sells,” King says. “If I tell them their work is great, they think I’m just trying to be nice. But if someone actually buys something, that’s a much stronger kind of affirmation.”

While many of the artists in the McAuley House program have no previous training, some have studied art in college or worked as professional artists. Certainly that’s true of Linda Louise King (no relation to Kathy King), a former photographer who’s been attending art classes at McAuley House since 2010.

Originally from Tampa, Fla., Linda King says she moved to Boston in the mid-1990s and quickly plunged into the city’s arts scene. She also began renting a loft in the Piano Guild Factory, a former factory complex that had become a gathering place for artists, actors and musicians.

“That was a great time,” she says. “You could walk down the hall and each room would have someone painting or practicing music or learning lines for a play.”

When the Piano Factory’s owners decided to turn the artists’ lofts into luxury apartments, Linda King and many other artists were forced out. In response, she decided to move to Providence, eventually finding another loft — and another close-knit arts community — at AS220.

“It was just like Boston, except that I could afford it,” she laughs.

An energetic woman with a quick smile and wry sense of humor, Linda King says she enjoys making art and being around other artists. However, she also admits to a variety of problems, including chronic heart disease and “mental-health issues,” that make it hard for her to get and keep jobs. So when her residency at AS220 ran out in 2009, she once again found herself without a place to stay.

“Basically, I was back on the street,” she says.

Eventually, she was referred to McAuley Ministries, a Catholic nonprofit run by the Sisters of Mercy and named for the order’s Irish-born founder, Catherine McAuley.

In Providence, the group operates a number of programs and agencies, including McAuley Village, a temporary housing program for single homeless parents with children, and McAuley House, a so-called “house of hospitality” that provides hot meals and referral services for families and individuals in need.

With help from McAuley officials and volunteers, Linda King was able to find a government-subsidized apartment. She also began attending art classes at McAuley House.

“I can’t tell you how blessed I feel, not just to have a roof over my head but to be involved with such a wonderful group of people,” she says. “They’re amazing!”

Asked what she’ll be exhibiting at this week’s “From the Heart” exhibit, Linda King points to a series of brightly colored canvases propped up on a folding table.

“That one is an homage to Andy Warhol,” she says, referring to a painting inspired by one of the Pop artist’s “art cars” — part of a 1970s-era marketing campaign for BMW and other carmakers. Several other paintings attest to her love of music, including a portrait of a guitar player that would not look out of place on a contemporary blues or jazz recording.

“I just did that from memory,” she says. “But I think it came out pretty good.”

The ninth annual “From the Heart” exhibit opens Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at McAuley House, 622 Elmwood Ave. in Providence. The event is free. For more information, call (401) 941-9013, ext. 308.