Marin Arts & Culture MAC_Oct_Nov_2017_final | Page 15

T
he drawing paper before her
was covered in cobalt blue paint,
though quite a bit had also made
it to her face, hands, arms, the table,
with blue dollops decorating the floor.
Standing back admiring her creation,
Melissa was all smiles, basking in her
blueness. As they say, it doesn’t get any
better than this.
At 12 years old, Melissa is one of 16
children enjoying their weekly art session
at the Albert J. Boro Community Center
in San Rafael’s Canal District. Provided
by DrawBridge, an arts program for
homeless and underserved children,
this free-for-all creative expression
opportunity is offered weekly at 27 sites
in seven Bay Area counties. Drawbridge
has served over 35,000 youth since its
founding in San Rafael in 1989. That’s a
lot of paint! That’s a lot of changed lives.
“Our programs help young people
work through the complex emotions
associated with homelessness and family
challenges”, said Julie Scribner, Executive
Director.
I first fell under the magic spell of
DrawBridge during an art show of
the children’s work held at the Falkirk
Mansion. Many years later, two pieces
still stand vividly in my memory. First was
a drawing of a house, painted entirely
in black, with red and orange flames
roaring out the windows and front door.
On the description card, the young artist
stated “This was the house I used to live
in.” Nearby was quite a different work –
bright blue sky with puffy white clouds,
birds circling over a yellow house with
window boxes overflowing with red and
blue flowers. “This is where I am going
to live when I grow up”, her card stated.
The realness of their emotions, their
fears, their dreams, bore a hole in my
heart I feel to this very moment.
DrawBridge is not art therapy, though
it’s easy to see the many benefits of
participation. They don’t say, “Today
we will draw animals or paint a tree”,
or delve into their current emotional
state. Rather, the children are set free
to explore their playful creativity on a
blank piece of paper. The results can be
stunning, on many levels.
“What we really are about is inspiring
and transforming the kids, to help them
be more resilient and healthy human
beings through art making. It’s as easy
as that, and it works,” stated Kathleen
Keating, an art facilitator who has been
a part of DrawBridge for 10 years.
With an estimated 44,000 children in the
Bay Area without a permanent home,
the need is far greater than the current
reach of DrawBridge. The 2017-2018
goal is to add seven new sites, which
include homeless shelters, community
centers and low-income housing - places
very close to the children they serve. As
all the services, including art facilitators,
volunteers and art supplies, are usually
provided free, funding is raised through
individual donations, foundation grants,
corporate partnerships and special
events. One such event was San Rafael
Rocks, a 6-week, 4-event art, film and
music festival held in 2015 to benefit
DrawBridge.
The very good news is that DrawBridge
runs one of the most cost-efficient
nonprofits in the Bay Area, managed
by an Executive Director, a Program
Manager and soon-to-be hired
Development Manager, each working
just 20 or so hours per week …simply
amazing! Of course, their Volunteer
Board is very involved. And the best
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Marin Arts & Culture