{"id":287993,"date":"2026-05-28T20:16:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T20:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/287993\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T20:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T20:16:14","slug":"camillus-house-art-exhibit-highlights-homeless-artists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/287993\/","title":{"rendered":"Camillus House art exhibit highlights homeless artists"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hernan<\/p>\n

Hernan Lopez, artist name Hernando, paints during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in the foyer at Amerant Bank in Coral Gables, Florida.<\/p>\n

Alie Skowronski<\/p>\n

At 67, Barry Glenn still carries the creative spirit that once drew him toward a career in the arts. The former model and ballet dancer spent much of his young adult life pursuing success in Miami and New York.<\/p>\n

But that dream began to unravel when he became addicted to drugs and ended up homeless.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just thank God that I\u2019m still alive right now,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to stay looking young, stay looking nice, and keep moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, he is getting back on his feet \u2014 and picking up a paintbrush.<\/p>\n

\"Barry Barry Glenn, a stroke survivor and artist, poses in front of his painting between working on it during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in the foyer of Amerant Bank in Coral Gables, Florida. Glenn says painting has helped him physically after his stroke, but also mentally. \u201cIt’s more of a therapy to see what can come of doing all this art,\u201d said Glenn. Alie Skowronski <\/p>\n

The entrance of Amerant Bank in Coral Gables was filled Wednesday evening with artwork from the fourth annual Camillus House art showcase, \u201cEmpowerment Through Art,\u201d including pieces by Glenn. The exhibition featured original works created by clients of the nonprofit Camillus House, who are rebuilding their lives after homelessness, trauma, addiction and mental health challenges.<\/p>\n

Glenn stood near the entrance painting a live scenic beach view as guests arrived. He has participated since 2019 in the Camillus House art therapy program, a holistic recovery initiative at its facility at 1603 NW Seventh Ave. The program provides free professional instruction in a variety of artistic mediums to help participants heal, rebuild self-confidence and express themselves.<\/p>\n

Participants in the program had the opportunity to sell their work at the art show and earn income from their pieces. Half of the proceeds go directly to the artists, while the remaining half are reinvested into Camillus House to help fund and sustain the art program. The paintings that were not purchased during the show will soon be available for purchase online through the organization\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Barry Barry Glenn, a stroke survivor and artist, takes a break during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Alie Skowronski <\/p>\n

Glenn \u2014 who has been provided an apartment through Camillus housing programs \u2014 attends three classes each week, spending at least four hours per session.<\/p>\n

He says the class has given him a sense of community.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody needs somebody sometime,\u201d he said. \u201cThey might not need you today, but they might need you tomorrow, even if that\u2019s just to pat you on the back or shake your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n

The classes are taught by Miami-based artist David Rohn, best known for his interactive performance and visual art, including his 2018 \u201cStreet Peeps\u201d series. In the project, Rohn used wheat-pasted images of himself in various disguises inspired by people experiencing homelessness, aiming to draw attention to how they are seen and treated in public spaces.<\/p>\n

Rohn said he has long been wanting to help people experiencing homelessness. He recalled bringing food downtown to those in need and later distributing socks, which earned him the nickname \u201cSock Man.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"David David Rohn, Camillus art therapy instructor, right, points out artists\u2019 work to Robert E Herrera, CFO of Camillus House, during the art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. \u201cI never could have imagined how powerful the practice of self-expression can be for them, and they’re all so mutually so supportive. They sit down and engage with their own self on a different level with the people around them,\u201d said Rohn. Alie Skowronski <\/p>\n

In 2020, he was hired as a Camillus House art instructor, a position he had pined for for more than a year before it became available.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people come in and say, \u2018I can\u2019t draw,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cI tell them to start with stick figures or boxes. In modern art, anything goes. People begin to evolve, get ideas from one another and try new materials. They open up like flowers. It\u2019s really fun to see.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the program provides an important emotional outlet for participants.<\/p>\n

He recalled a day when a man attended a class and painted a house with a tree. The man later said he wanted to add words to his piece, and Rohn gave him some instructions and tips.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I came back 20 to 30 minutes later, he had written, \u2018I miss Dad,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cI told him, \u2018That\u2019s very personal. That\u2019s beautiful.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The man said he was finished with the piece and declined to take it home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized he just needed to get it out,\u201d Rohn said. \u201cI think a lot of people, they just haven\u2019t had much positive interaction in their lives, and so the art is a way for them to find out that they can create a positive reaction of their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Patricia Patricia Battles points out her artwork during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in the foyer of Amerant Bank in Coral Gables, Florida. \u201cArt allows me to not overthink and let things flow. It\u2019s treatment. We\u2019re given tools to heal and become better people,\u201d said Battles. Alie Skowronski <\/p>\n

New York City native Patricia Battles also had her work on display. The 37-year-old, who is currently homeless and has been diagnosed with PTSD and parathyroid disease, said art has become an important outlet.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just wanted a space where I could put out my emotions and really express myself so I can cope,\u201d she said. \u201cArt is very healing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Battles focuses on abstract, colorful spirals. While she has painted since childhood, she said this style developed after joining Camillus House, calling it her \u201cPatricia style.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Patricia Patricia Battles, artist, right, and others walk through the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Alie Skowronski <\/p>\n

\u201cThe goal that we have is to transform lives,\u201d said Camillus House CEO Eddie Gloria. \u201cWhen people come to us, they\u2019ve lost community, they\u2019ve lost connection, they\u2019ve lost hope. And when you\u2019re in that state of pure survival, you can\u2019t think about creativity. You\u2019re only surviving.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd when people start creating with us, that\u2019s a sign things are heading in the right direction, that we\u2019re making a change, that people feel supported and that they begin to reconnect with their purpose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Showana Showana Louisma poses with her art pieces during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Louisma has been at Camillus since last fall. \u201cHonestly, on the days I want to give up, art brings me back,\u201d said Louisma. Alie Skowronski \"People People look at artwork created by Oscar and other Camillus House artists during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Alie Skowronski \"Barry Barry Glenn, a stroke survivor and artist, paints during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. Alie Skowronski <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hernan Lopez, artist name Hernando, paints during the Camillus House art show on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":287994,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[225,227,226],"class_list":["post-287993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hialeah","tag-hialeah","tag-hialeah-headlines","tag-hialeah-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/287993\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/287994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}