WARMING Shelter Tile Project goes up Monday on the north side driveway at Hood River County Courthouse. George Evans, left, has help from Alfredo Morales.
Photo by Kirby Neumann-ReaA swath of color, resembling a quilt, now adorns the plain, curving wall along the Hood River County Courthouse driveway.
The Warming Shelter Tile Project asked community members to create art tiles that answer the question, “What does home mean to you?”
Done over the fall and winter of 2018-19, the tiles are the brainchild of Hood River resident Susan Bellinson. At community events last year, she provided materials and advice for 36 people — aged 1 to 82 — to paint their images onto tiles.
The Warming Shelter Tile Project was dedicated Monday as part of the annual Hood River Warming Shelter volunteer appreciation event at Riverside Community Church, next door.
George Evans said he was there because “I own a drill.” A friend of Bellinson’s, Evans and Alfredo Morales of his company, Handy Hands Construction, installed the tile project a few feet up the drive from Oak Street.
Bellinson framed the project this way: “People think about ‘home’ as their home or the nature around their home, home in the bigger sense of the home, and even homeless people, which is their home, too. They have the mountain, the river.”
Bellinson has seen similar tile projects all around the country, and started after getting involved as a shelter volunteer.
“I did it in my town in The Bronx, New York as a fundraiser for the PTA in my school, and it’s still there 15 years later and it’s gorgeous,” Bellinson said. “I think they’re beautiful and I love the idea of having a theme, and this is such an artistic community and people’s expressiveness is a way to get people thinking about homelessness.”
Tile images range from Mount Hood, cats and dogs, and flowers in a vase to apple pie, bicycles and one depicting a pair of feet propped up next to a cup of coffee.
Bellinson worked with the building department at the city and the County Communty Development Office, and paid the $128 permit and for the materials herself. She caulked the tiles together inside a frame built (and sealed in boat varnish for weatherproofing) and donated by Leoni Montenegro.
On Monday, Evans started drilling into the wall using one bit but stopped and sent Morales to the truck to make sure he had the right equipment — a tapered concrete bit, to safely hang the framed tiles.
“We’re not going to mess with it. We’ll get the right drill,” Evans said.”
Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?)
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sign up to receive notifications when a new Columbia Gorge News e-Edition is published.
Would you like to receive our news updates? Signup today!
Receive weekly updates on obituaries and death notices.
Oregon Capital Press presented by Columbia Gorge News
Receive updates on upcoming promotions and special sections.
Receive weekly updates on local sports news.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
Commented