Standing on the steps of Grace Episcopal Church in Northwest D.C., Jeff watches his dogs hunt for rats. The sunny, cloudless day matches the feeling of contentment that Jeff exudes — there have been many ups and downs, left and right turns in his life, but his faith and art remain constant.
Jeff, who introduced himself by only his first name, has lived in D.C. off and on throughout his adult life, experiencing homelessness throughout his time in the city. He talks about his family, his personal struggles, and most importantly, the art he has created and carried with him throughout his life.
While he’s battling his third bout with cancer, art continues to console him – it’s been his way of escaping and surviving from as early as he can remember.
Jeff grew up in Baltimore, with his stepfather, an abusive alcoholic who would sometimes beat up Jeff.
“My stepfather, when I was growing up, he would emphasize with saying, you’ll never amount to anything,” said Jeff. “I grew up my whole life trying to prove him wrong.”
When Jeff was in sixth grade, he had an unforgettable art teacher, Mr. Trattner, who believed in his abilities and encouraged him to continue drawing. This teacher’s advice pushed Jeff to start using ink pens, which initially confused him, because he could not erase his work if he made mistakes. But his teacher encouraged him to lean into his mistakes and not shy away from them — a lesson more applicable to life than any sixth grader can understand.
“You have an awesome imagination. If you mess up, incorporate your mess up, and with your shade, fix it,” Trattner said to Jeff. Ever since, Jeff has used only ink pens and colored pencils.
While Jeff dropped out of school in the ninth grade, he got his GED just six months later. He didn’t drop out because he was “stupid,” he said, but because his teachers could not hold his attention. Although traditional schooling couldn’t keep him in its four walls, art captured his focus.
Jeff applied to and was accepted at the Maryland Institute College of Art. But his dreams of formally studying his passion would take a backseat after Jeff learned he would have a whole new set of responsibilities.
“Three months before school started, my girlfriend told me she was pregnant,” Jeff said. “My heavenly father gave me a bachelor’s degree; I didn’t need to go to art school.”
So, with colored pencils in hand, he focused on his natural gifts. And, when something didn’t work, he tried a different approach; it’s pretty much how he lives his life.
As an adult, Jeff moved from Baltimore to D.C. to live with his brother because he was on disability. He lived with his older brother for about a year until he decided to leave due to some tension. He considered moving to California and even bought a one-way ticket to San Diego, but missed his flight. Jeff saw this as a sign from God that San Diego was not the right place for him.
“I’m on a spiritual walk,” Jeff said. “I’m not on a religious walk…so I’m trying to walk with Jesus. I figured Washington, D.C. is the belly of the beast.”
As a person experiencing homelessness, he said he does not like his current encampment, because there is too much traffic and too many people around. He’s hoping he won’t be there much longer, as he is trying to move somewhere quieter.
Jeff’s three adult kids are currently in Maryland and West Virginia. He said he does not keep in contact with them, but remembers helping them draw a little when they were younger.
Jeff has chosen the quiet life with his dogs, Luna and Puppet. He calls them his only two loyal companions. Despite drawing every day, Jeff has not been able to make a living off his artwork. He relies on social security to get by, but still says he is more fortunate than others.
Jeff’s art and his faith sustain him. He’s an avid reader of the Bible — reading two to three times a day — and draws after he reads. It’s a form of meditation, he says. The passages inspire much of his artwork, like pieces with Jesus as a lion, lighthouses, blind justice, and Jeff walking alone down his spiritual path. But he also loves to draw portraits of celebrities, such as Jennifer Aniston and Lauren Bacall, and close friends.
Despite his self-doubt, Jeff chose to show his work to an employee at a gallery near where he spends his days. She said she had never seen art like his done with only ink. The gallery, Cabada Contemporary Art Gallery in Georgetown, displayed four pieces of his animal artwork with price tags between $200 to $250 per drawing.
Jeff said the showcase almost didn’t come to fruition because self-doubt hindered him, but in a split-second decision, he decided to show his artwork. Now that two of his art pieces have sold, he says he wants to give some of the proceeds to Miriam’s Kitchen, a local organization that does outreach to Jeff’s encampment, as a recognition of how much they have helped him and his dogs.
Jeff said having his work recognized has always been a dream because it would make him a successful artist. Now, someone has taken the time to recognize it.
One by one, Jeff can rattle off the stories behind his drawings as you sift through his stack of art, marveling at his work.
“That’s Jennifer Aniston.”
“That’s supposed to be on my walk. My spiritual walk.”
“I love drawing lighthouses.”
Lighthouses have a special meaning to Jeff. They symbolize hope, he said, because they help people from crashing on the rocks. As rocky as his life’s been, art is the beacon guiding him to shore.
