UNPACKING HOMELESSNESS

A Path with Art & Pearl Jam Collaboration

The Path with Art and Pearl Jam collaboration began in 2018 when several of our Participant Artists designed a series of posters for the HomeShows, working in collaboration with Pearl Jam to help raise funds to end homelessness. The artists who designed these posters came from diverse backgrounds, but all had lived experiences being unsheltered at some point in their lives and found solace in the arts.

Mike McCready, the lead guitarist for Pearl Jam, shared his perspective:

"I think it’s really important to recognize that people who have experienced homelessness have skills and talents. Art not only breaks down barriers, but can also be a means to heal the trauma that can be caused by experiencing homelessness."

Below are the reflections of several of the artists involved in this powerful collaboration which continues to flourish to this day. Pearl Jam recently authorized a limited edition release of the HomeShow posters for collectors and enthusiasts alike. These limited edition posters are now available for a short time at our ArtHOME only — the proceeds will benefit both the artists and Path with Art’s work fostering the restoration of individuals, groups, and society from the effects of trauma, through arts engagement and community building. Please come by or email us if you are interested in purchasing one.

The Purple MOnster

“One such idea I’ve had literally for years was doing a tribute to my beloved purple backpack, which was stolen near from where I was sleeping, ironically, under a bridge adjacent to Safeco Field, site of the upcoming Pearl Jam concerts, the “Home” Shows. I loved that pack, the Purple Monster. I could fit my whole life into it, basically. And sadly, that’s what happened in the early morning hours of a day a few years ago. I was sleeping in my hammock and looked up about four-thirty or five in the morning only to discover that my big pack, which I’d hung on the chain link fence near the railroad tracks, was gone… My entire life was in there..”

CHANGE IS COMING

“I came up with the image of people using music to help themselves and I saw the guitar as a ladder. I wanted one with a whammy bar. In my research of the band, I found Mike McCready's Fender American Vintage 1959 Stratocaster, which was perfect. I wanted the people to be red to reflect the stress and crises that I, and many others, have experienced. I made the background color a sunrise, the point being: change is coming. Because you’ve got to have even the tiniest bit of hope, or you won't make it. It's a hard climb to reach stability, one that can't be done alone. It takes courage and an inner strength that one has to dig deep to find.

Heart-in-hand

“For one of my posters, I used the image of the heart-in-hand, which is a symbol of charity given from the heart. The fingerprint conveys identity, and is also tied to the cycle of incarceration that often leads to homelessness. Housing is number one for people to feel a real sense of security and safe boundaries; food and meals can be found throughout King County most every day of the week if not twice at free feeds and food banks everywhere. Housing is key!”

When asked about the connection between art and homelessness, Participant Artist Angela Michaelina shared:

“Art can act as an anchor for humanity—when you’re homeless, you lose your humanity, but being able to create art during a time of homelessness can be restoring.”

Another Path with Art Participant Artist B. said:

“I saw this as an opportunity for giving a voice to those who couldn’t speak or are living in silence. I saw this opportunity where my voice, artwork, and experience would be respected.”