I'm Roofless, NOT Homeless

Heather, once thriving, now finds herself "roofless, NOT homeless," her life upended by cancer. This Exhibition presents thirty portraits of the unhoused by sculptors Suzanne Storer and Louise Solecki Weir. "I'm roofless, NOT homeless" portrays people actively avoided and often unseen. From lives well-lived struck by disasters like Heather's to individuals abandoned to the streets at a tender age or those grappling with the consequences of poor choices or untreated mental illness, each narrative unfolds. Presented as art, the subjects become objects for study and reflection, providing a safe haven for viewers to explore the diverse paths leading to homelessness.

Sculptor Suzanne Storer shows us 20 narrative relief sculptures of unhoused individuals, many of whom she encountered in her downtown park. While working with residents at her local shelter, she realized that many of these people were little different from herself, yet their circumstances were worlds apart. Motivated by this realization, she shares with you her hopes that you, too, will want to change how we treat the unhoused. Ultimately, these contemporary subjects and their stories of tragedy, deprivation, survival, and humor converge to create a profoundly compelling exhibition.

Louise Solecki Weir's 8 portraits sculpted from life are of individuals suffering from mental illness or brain damage. She uses classical portrait busts to illuminate our contemporary struggle with marginalization. We often experience portrait sculpture as the representation of historically important heroic figures. Unlike traditional heroic figures, these sculptures represent ordinary people, prompting viewers to contemplate the heroism within the struggles of the often-overlooked.