The colorful new mural at the Lucille Giles Center is proof that volunteering for Roof Above can take on many different forms. “As an artist, this is my act of service,” says the artist, Eva Crawford. “It’s what I’m qualified to do.”
She’d previously donated proceeds from her art sales to Roof Above. But when the Giles Center reopened after renovations in January, there was a fresh, blank wall ready to become Eva’s next canvas. Entitled “Calm,” the mural depicts mountains, sky and sea, with a serene palette of blues, cream and earth tones. “Painting on this wall was a joy,” Eva wrote when she shared the work on Instagram. “Thank you, Liz, and all involved who trusted me to create a calm place for the visitors to ponder. The soothing lines and peaceful colors set the stage for community represented by the school of fish and flock of birds. That these men know they are not alone is important as they step into the Lucille Giles Men’s Shelter.”
Eva began to gain perspective on the issues surrounding homelessness when she spent time on North Tryon Street as the Visual and Performing Arts Center was preparing to open about two years ago. Now her heart –and her hope — for those who’ve been displaced has taken on a tangible form. “There’s one bird breaking ahead of the mural,” she says. “If anything, it represents to me maybe the hope of a different way of living. Not breaking away from the community, but maybe just a small nod to the hope of something different being on the horizon.”
