Snow River by H. Makelin

We were driving down a street in Arlington, VA and saw a homeless woman on the median holding a sign. At first I couldn’t tell if she was a man or a woman, so thin, no curves, jeans and rumpled t-shirt. At closer look I saw she was a woman and holding a sign that said “Homeless Artist.” There were three of us in the car, all of us artists returning from antique shopping and a visit to another friend’s studio. I said, “Let’s give her a dollar, or something.” I started looking around the floor of the car and in my purse – in the past I’ve given homeless people on the streets bottles of water or apples, things like that. I had nothing so I reached for my wallet. Cheryl rolled down the window and called her over saying to the rest of us “If we can do this before the light changes.” It was rush hour and no one behind us was going to care about giving a homeless woman a buck once the light changed. When she got to the window Cheryl said “We’re all artists too.” I pulled out a few bills, Susie in the back added hers, Cheryl too and she handed the bills to the woman. All the while I’m thinking, “I hope this isn’t like the time I was walking toward a raggedy man sleeping on a picnic table just off the W & OD trail, and was about to hand him a $20 (had no smaller bills and no place on the trail to get change) and his cell phone rang. Cheryl handed her the money and told her we were all artists too. (It was a long light). The woman seemed excited about that and said “I have a website.” (?) A homeless person with a website. She started digging in her purse for a card and I said “Just call it out, I’ll write it down.” I went on her site – she has a BA and an MFA and worked for ten years in the Library of Congress and then quit to pursue her art. Her name is H. Makelin and the painting above is called Snow River and is on the 'free stuff' page so I figured it was ok to put it here. I can't stop wondering what happened to her, how she got to that median holding a sign.
Her website:
http://www.shenandoahstarlight.uni.cc

Comments

[Bonnie]

Her work is fascinating. I sure would like to know more. And what is cyber art?

[lapa]

MIGUEL TORGA
THE PLOUGHMAN OF THE WRITING

A SHARED PATH

In the 1st centenary of his birth

BY CRISTÓVÃO DE AGUIAR

A SMALL GREAT BOOK ABOUT MIGUEL TORGAs LIFE

[Sheila]

I'm glad to see you wrote about Helen in your blog and put a sample of her work here!

Helen Makelin is my cousin. I have quite an amazing story to share with the world about Helen and me, but since it's so long, I need more time to think about how to express it so it's not so confusing.

If you're still wondering about her, I can answer some questions. However, be prepared for the fact I don't use e-mailing. You'll know what I mean if you go to my blog.

[Sheila]

I'm guessing cyber art is art published in cyberspace (i.e., the World Wide Web) and/or art done by a computer program rather than a traditional medium like oil painting.

[Sheila]

I don't want to clutter your page here with my comments, so maybe it would be better if I leave the rest of what I have to say at my blog for Helen under "My Acquaintances?"

[Kathryn/Kathy]

OMG! I can't tell you how excited I am to find this info (although none of the links follow through anymore). Helen was my roommate and best friend at SUNY Stony Brook 1965-69 (Sheila, if you read this, I remember her telling me about you!) We stayed close while we attended our respective grad schools and for a while after she came to DC (we were both at the Library of Congress). Then she kind of dropped out. I've tried to track her down online but this the best lead I've find (and don't know why I didn't see it sooner since it was first posted over 2 years ago). Can anyone add any information? Where in Arlington was she spotted? (Arlington is the last address I have for her and recently sent a letter "just in case.") Sheila, if you respond, I can provide you with some other facts so that you know I really knew her.