Artist: Latavia Lopez
Welcome artist/poet, Latavia Lopez. Latavia started coming to ArtSpace while living at Hutchet House (HomeFront's home for first-time pregnant homeless mothers). She believes she has always been artistically-inclined and that her family encouraged her creativity. She expresses herself through writing music, poetry, and painting. Latavia raps, sings, plays the violin and clarinet and recently created a mixtape. Her aspiration is to one day be a writer for established music artists.
Creating art is a therapeutic outlet for Latavia to express her feelings and emotions . Latavia says, "When I get angry I write. If I am so frustrated to the point where I can't think straight, I pray and paint and with every brushstroke, I'm calmer. When I've finished a piece of art it's like I've controlled my emotions and created something beautiful. ArtSpace is important to me because painting makes me feel relaxed. Having art in a women's shelter is imperative because it helps capture the artist's inner beauty for others to understand." Latavia believes that "artwork and poetry are eye-openers with pictures and words speaking to the heart". Her favorite painting is her work, Father Forgive Me. Latavia added, "the Psalms say the Lord hears our cries and pleads and holds our tears in a bottle." She was compelled to create this painting as a portrayal of God's mercy and forgiveness.
Latavia recalled a quote that in her opinion describes ArtSpace: "Children come into the world with their hands clenched in tight fists, holding the gifts that God gave them. It's up to us (family, friends, and associates) to help them discover what those gifts are and to encourage them so that when they die, they can leave here peacefully with their hands open." She feels that ArtSpace inspires artists to reveal these untapped gifts.
Creating art is a therapeutic outlet for Latavia to express her feelings and emotions . Latavia says, "When I get angry I write. If I am so frustrated to the point where I can't think straight, I pray and paint and with every brushstroke, I'm calmer. When I've finished a piece of art it's like I've controlled my emotions and created something beautiful. ArtSpace is important to me because painting makes me feel relaxed. Having art in a women's shelter is imperative because it helps capture the artist's inner beauty for others to understand." Latavia believes that "artwork and poetry are eye-openers with pictures and words speaking to the heart". Her favorite painting is her work, Father Forgive Me. Latavia added, "the Psalms say the Lord hears our cries and pleads and holds our tears in a bottle." She was compelled to create this painting as a portrayal of God's mercy and forgiveness.
Latavia recalled a quote that in her opinion describes ArtSpace: "Children come into the world with their hands clenched in tight fists, holding the gifts that God gave them. It's up to us (family, friends, and associates) to help them discover what those gifts are and to encourage them so that when they die, they can leave here peacefully with their hands open." She feels that ArtSpace inspires artists to reveal these untapped gifts.
