HIWTAI Showcase

SANTA CLARA, CA - HomeFirst’s Home Is Where the Art Is (HIWTAI) art exhibition and fundraising event will take place on June 13 from 5:30 to 7 pm at the Pivot Interiors showroom at 3355 Scott Blvd #110, Santa Clara, CA 95054. 

 

The event marks the culmination of HomeFirst’s Home Is Where the Art Is workshop series, which offered 32 art classes to unhoused individuals living across four interim housing (tiny home) sites in San Jose, CA. The classes, which were taught by local professional artists, Rayos Magos and Shanti Nagwani, allowed residents to express their creativity, explore new art forms, decompress, and build connections at their housing sites. Classes were funded by a generous donation from Microsoft’s Datacenter Community Development Team. 

 

The event will highlight 80+ prints, acrylic paintings, and collages produced by 30+ program participants over the course of the two-month program. The exhibition will also share participants' stories – their experiences with homelessness and in the art program. Original artwork and prints will be available for purchase, with 50% of proceeds being reinvested into HomeFirst, and 50% being paid to program participants. 

 

“Art has a unique ability to transcend barriers, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to communicate and relate on a deeply human level,” said Bea Ramos, Vice President of HomeFirst’s Emergency Housing Division. “The HIWTAI event provides an opportunity for our donors to learn – through art – about the life experiences of those living at our emergency and interim housing sites and the impact that their contributions have on our participants.” 

 

The event is open to local officials, HomeFirst donors, and other supporters. Those who attend will view the art and enjoy hors d’oeuvres. They will also hear a series of short speeches by Aparna Motiwala, a HomeFirst Board Member; Michele Diaz, HomeFirst’s Interim Housing Program Manager; Rayos Magos and Shanti Nagwani, the program’s art instructors; and Wolfe “Roadman” Cevorov, a program participant. 

 

The art exhibition is made possible by our Platinum Sponsors, John Parissenti and Linda Chin; Gold Sponsors, Order of Malta and XL Construction; Silver Sponsors, eBay and AVT Productions; and Bronze Sponsors, Bellarmine College Preparatory, San Jose Water Company, UA Local Union 393, and Aparna & Q Motiwala. 

 

About HomeFirst: 

 

HomeFirst is a leading provider of housing services. We offer prevention, outreach, shelters, and interim and permanent housing programs to individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. We operate in Santa Clara and Sonoma County.  

 

For more information on HomeFirst, visit https://www.homefirstscc.org/home-is-where-the-art-is.