Johns Hopkins and Interfaith Works Exhibit Street Vision

The cafe in a building on Johns Hopkins Montgomery County campus is the unlikely host to an exhibit of art that has been life-altering for the artists—homeless and other clients of Interfaith Works—and may just be to visitors, too.

“In the chaos of this world and all the things we have to work on, we need to take time to stop and enjoy beautiful things," Marie Henderson, executive director for, said at a reception for the exhibit on Oct. 18.

This was the first art exhibit for the Rockville-based coalition of 165 congregations, which serves 35,000 people from around the county who, as Henderson said, "need a hand up."

The exhibit features work by students in a weekly art class at Interfaith's center in Silver Spring. Community Vision provides case management, job training, vocational services, substance abuse programs and recreational and therapeutic groups for homeless men and women. 

The class is taught by Alice Sims of Takoma Park's Art For The People and “it’s full every single week," said Heather Steed, a development associate for Interfaith. 

In many cases the class is the first contact Interfaith has with some street homeless, and is a bridge to bring people into the Community Vision program, Steed said. 

Mohammed “Amdy” Adje said he has painted since he was a child. His family members have been artists for generations. Viewing his stunning work—such as "The Village," a mixed media piece made of plaster, then watercolor paint, finished with oil pastel—you’d have to believe art was in his genes.  

Born in Senegal, Adje was an art student in France at École des Beaux Arts d’Avignon. He came to the United States in the 1970s, spending 15 years in New York City. 

“I couldn’t paint then,” he said, “I had to survive. I was a delivery man. But I lived in museums, looking at the art.”  

He moved to Washington, D.C. in 2004, and started painting again a year ago through Community Vision. In order to buy art supplies, he would sell tin that he picked from the garbage. Adje now has a work space at in Silver Spring and an extensive portfolio of vibrant-colored and softer abstract works.

Another featured artist, Rhonda Palmer, is not homeless, thanks to Interfaith.

After an unexpected surgery and the loss of her job, Palmer and her two sons found themselves in dire need of help. Interfaith Works extended them a Hand to Hand eviction prevention loan. Palmer has since found a new job and secured new housing. She is an ardent advocate of giving back to others and is animated about her photographs on display, telling visitors to the exhibit: “I make pictures, I don’t just take them!”

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The work of Interfaith Works clients is on display through Friday in the Royal Café in the Academic & Research Building at , 9601 Medical Center Drive (enter via Broschart Road). The cafe is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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