Featured Artwork Gallery

The artwork featured here was collected by authors James Davy and Nicole Whitmore who reached out to community members with lived experience of homelessness.

The work of these artists greatly enriched the content of the book.

Tormented – Sophia Davidson

Featured in Chapter 1.

An abstract painting done on canvas shows dark colours layered on top of each other in swirls and extended brushstrokes. There are light colours, such as white, pink, and blue that appear around the edges.
Tormented, 2022 Acrylic on canvas 13 x 9 inches
Artist: Sophia Davidson

Homelessness is tormented darkness. There is no real centre. The colours, green, red, and blue represent the elements of earth, fire, and water. The darkness is battling against them. No colours can be established anywhere.

This picture depicts the Homeless and the problems and solutions available – Makaya Moreau

Featured in Chapter 2.

A hand-drawn black and white sketch shows a person sitting on the ground in a public doorway. There is a sign on the building’s window advertising “For Lease” by the Housing Company.
This picture depicts the Homeless and the problems and solutions available
Artist: Makaya Moreau

A life of judgement. My struggle shouldn’t define who I am as a human being – Jason Coombes

Featured in Chapter 3.

A hand-written statement reads: “When you are living on the streets you feeling like this, that you lost all control. There’s nowhere to go nobody love you or helps you. People look at you different. This needs to stop. We are all the same in this world.” Below this statement there is a circle with a line through it that says “Stop homelessness in Ontario and the world.” Within the circle, a frown face rests underneath the words.
A life of judgement. My struggle shouldn’t define who I am as a human being
Artist: Jason Coombes

Lost in Thought – Sophia G Davidson

Featured in Chapter 4.

An abstract painting on canvas shows a range of light and dark colours swirled together.
Lost in Thought, 2022 Acrylic on canvas  24 Ă— 18 inches
Artist: Sophia G Davidson

The feeling of having nowhere to go and confusion experienced with homelessness. Colourful matrices surround and are part of the wisps of thought, the hues of the soul, but the inner and outer turmoil is what is featured.

Life can unravel before your very eyes – Tammy

Featured in Chapter 5.

A collection of phrases are hand-written on a page. Bold colourful letters in the middle read “Chasing a high, yet still somebodies mommy.” Also included are the phrases: “We’re not all monsters,” “some of us just need a little push in the right direction,” “my story aint over,” “future – nice house, dog, kids each have their own room and their home with me,” and “need my babies back, need steady housing.”
Life can unravel before your very eyes
Artist: Tammy

We have dreams – Joe

Featured in Chapter 6.

A pencil-drawn image depicts a young man wearing shorts and t-shirt holding a sign that reads “Homeless not hopeless.” He stands next to a cup on the ground to collect coins.
We have dreams
Artist: Joe

Connection is the key to community and hope – Joe

Featured in Chapter 7.

A pencil-crayon drawn image shows two people standing together, warming their hands over a barrel that contains fire. They are next to two tents set up in a grassy area. There is a sign next to the barrel that says “Tent Town 2021.”
Connection is the key to community and hope
Artist: Joe

I refuse to give up! I will have a home again with my children – Tammy

Featured in Chapter 8.

The words “my story ain’t over” are written in the middle of a page, highlighted in pink, green, and blue. Surrounding these words are the phrases, “community,” “chasing a high yet still a mommy trying so hard,” “homeless yet not hopeless,” and “beautiful people not monsters.”
I refuse to give up! I will have a home again with my children
Artist: Tammy

Minimum supports in a rural area make a homeless person feel alone and invisible – Jason Coombes

Featured in Chapter 9.

A hand is traced in pencil, containing the words “In Northumberland, stop homelessness, you’re going to be ok, people do care, it’s going to be ok.” Above the image is the hand-written statement, “When you are living on the streets you feel like this. You feel like no 1 loves you no 1 cares about you.”
Minimum supports in a rural area make a homeless person feel alone and invisible
Artist: Jason Coombes

Homelessness is only invisible if you refuse to open your eyes – Joe

Featured in Chapter 10.

The words “Just because I’m homeless does not make me emotionless, careless, or useless” are hand-written on a paper in dramatic fashion using different fonts and styles of lettering. Around the letters are hand drawn eyes and a rose.
Homelessness is only invisible if you refuse to open your eyes
Artist: Joe

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Understanding Homelessness in Canada Copyright © 2022 by Kristy Buccieri, James Davy, Cyndi Gilmer, and Nicole Whitmore is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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