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Artist Spotlight Vanessa German

Written by the Homewood Children's Village Harambee Site Learn & Earn Students:
Adasha Carpenter, Indya Durham, Shakara Fields, Ameile Findley, Tanasha Embry,
Diamond McCallum under the Supervision of Diane I. Daniels and Joseph L. Lewis

Multi-talented artist, poet,
storyteller and activist, Vanessa
German found her artistic inspiration
from the lessons, directions and
guidance of her mother Sandra. "My
Mother kept us safe by keeping us in
the house. She would cover the
dining room table with all sorts of art
supplies - pens, pencils, glitter,
markers, fabric and glue and we
would spend our summers just
making things. We would write
books, and plays. She raised us to
make things ourselves…we didn't
need validation as human beings
from the outside world.”
Effected by the violence often occurring around
The Los Angeles resident moved to her house and throughout the Homewood
Pittsburgh in 2000 with a friend, to perform and to community, German says she writes because it
exhibit her work. They chose Homewood - makes her feel good. "Sometimes I write poems
Brushton because of the neighborhood's historic as if I'm a doctor and I write a poem because I
foundation and legacy of achievement. She want to feel a certain way, because it makes me
viewed Homewood as the Harlem of Pittsburgh feel joyous. As a result the Arthouse is a facility to
and relished its gift of inspiration. Compared to make others feel what she feels.
where she grew up - the unique, artsy dresser feels The well-traveled award winning artist has
like Homewood was familiar and true to where experienced much adversity through racism and
she believed was her place. sexism. It has taught her to overcome the
negativity that occurs. Vanessa through it all has
German founded the Art House out of a learned that the best things to do to get through
desire to inspire children as a way to keep them the hard times has been to listen to her instincts.
safe and teach them how to use their hands as a She has balanced out her emotions while thinking;
release like she often does. She also taught kids "Is it worth it to react?" These situations have
from Westinghouse Academy that they could made her realize that whenever someone says
achieve anything from wherever they come from something to offend her "that there is something
and that there are no limitations to what they can inside of that person that is so hurt and sore that
achieve. The dedicated community art space has they had to say those things out loud." She has
been moved twice before it found its permanent noticed that this world is cruel and critical to the
place on Hamilton Ave. things that she as well as other enjoy.