I feel safe here

Clare Johnson’s installation is inspired by work with a Low Income Housing Institute tiny house village for people transitioning out of homelessness, making art to brighten its neighborhood presence. Residents felt misrepresented by its anonymous dark fence, and wanted to emphasize the village’s transformative power—suggesting bridges, stepping stones, and growing plants as metaphors for how it helps them build connections, find support and transition to more stability. Johnson’s fence banners were meant to double as giant community coloring sheets for celebratory neighborhood events, but then the pandemic set in. To honor those plans, here 4 large panels mix the original designs with colorful new painted-in versions, together exploring the different ways we all try to make space for ourselves while also connecting with each other. While the village itself comes from difficult and painful realities, the art joyfully celebrates crucial community spaces whose value often goes overlooked.