Photographers and guests connect at the After Supper Visions exhibit on Friday, September 20.
For Lisa, discovering photography has made her life on the streets easier to bear.
A friend told Lisa about After Supper Visions, a Catholic Charities program offering photography classes every Tuesday afternoon for dinner guests of the Sister Joyce Dura, O.S.F., Supper Program. Lisa started attending the classes last year and since then, has captured dozens of photos of Chicago architecture and landmarks at various angles and in various light. Lisa likes to capture Union Station, inside and out, in the morning and late afternoon. She loves clocks and unique streetlamps.
“During my most difficult time of homelessness, I developed the joy of photography,” Lisa says. “It helped to uplift me, to release bad images of things that have happened to me. My art makes me smile.”
Lisa is one of 27 artists who displayed their artwork of life in Chicago at the After Supper Visions photo exhibit on Friday, September 20. More than 100 photos were for sale. Lisa plans to put the money she earned from the sale of her photography toward her housing.
Transforming life into art through photography
Jody O’Connor has been helping lead classes for more than 15 years. She says the program has evolved over the years, but Tuesday afternoon classes teach artists how to use the camera and take different types of photography. Artists go out on photo shoots and learn about still life, abstracts, landscapes, images that have shadows, reflection, shape and color.
“We wanted our artists, most who live on the street, to show their lives—where they walk, where they sleep,” O’Connor says. “Now, they capture what is beautiful around them. It’s incredible.”
O’Connor has worked closely over the last 10 years with Linda Roxe, who also shares her passion for photography with the artists. Artists are given a small digital camera and take a minimum of 27 photos. Upon completion, each artist must select four photos, then O’Connor and Rowe sit down with each of them and teach them how to edit digitally. The artists write an artist statement to accompany the prints, which are matted and displayed at the exhibit. Each photo costs $100, and 70% of every sale is returned to the artist.
“What is most exciting about this project,” O’Connor says, “when you come to support the clients of Catholic Charities, you meet the photographer. There are no barriers, just art.”
“No barriers, just art.”
Calvin A. started taking photography classes three years ago. Although he is homeless, he makes sure to visit every class.
“I’ve learned a lot,” he says. “There’s so much you can do with angles, lines, colors. I like taking photos by the water.” One of his photos captures the post office by Harrison Street along the south branch of the Chicago River. “It’s kind of peaceful there,” he says.
Ronald has been taking photos since he started participating in After Supper Visions 10 years ago. His favorite photos are of the city decorated for the holidays and of special events like the Blue Angels flying high for the Air and Water Show.
“I would like to travel around the country and take pictures of the Civil War in Gettysburg, the Alamo in Texas… and around the world to the Colosseum in Rome, the castles in England, France, Germany, Ireland and Scotland,” and so much more, he says.
The artists keep O’Connor and Roxe coming back every year.
“We know the clients as friends,” Roxe says. “They’re talented, they’re real.”
In this program, every person—and every person’s vision—is not only real but also seen.
Photos are available for purchase at Aftersuppervisions.com.