COLUMBIA, Tenn. (WTVF) — In Maury County, members of a non-profit say their eyes have been opened to a need in their community. An event this weekend looks to provide help. The Arts in Maury event is this Saturday, Sept. 9 at Columbia's Memorial Building from 10 am to 4 pm. It features the work of 21 local artists in addition to music, food, and wine tastings. It's all in support of the Crossroads to Home Coalition and their cafe, which supports homeless people.
"You have to make something out of nothing, out of a white canvas," said Maury County artist Kim Sanderson. "I like that challenge."
Kim's work is her feelings connected to events in her life expressed in shades of paint.
"I like to share a lot of myself in each of my canvases," she said. "That's the beauty of abstract art."
Kim said art feeds the soul, and she's rarely felt that more than now.
Food packets were being put together at the Crossroads to Home Cafe in Columbia. It's a place for the homeless to find job opportunities and resources, advice, clothes, something to eat, whatever they need, along with a hot cup of coffee, maybe a little cream and sugar.
"And we provide a listening ear," said Mark Kirschbaum, president of the Crossroads to Home Coalition board of directors. "I worked at Maury Regional Medical Center. The social workers were increasingly identifying they were discharging patients to the parking lot."
He said these were people with nowhere to go.
"The prices for housing and the cost for rent has been growing," Mark continued. "Affordable housing has been harder to find. We grossly underestimated the magnitude of the problem."
Mark said there are opportunities to help. That's where Kim comes back in. Kim is among the 21 Maury County artists taking part in the Arts in Maury event.
"Well, I think most artists have big hearts," she said. "This is our way of giving back to the community. It makes me feel like my art is worth something. It's doing something."
For more on Arts in Maury, visit here.
