Jackson Free Press

As dark clouds unleash a torrent of rain outside Cups Espresso Cafe in Flowood, Christy Henderson, 37, rubs at the bright green paint caked on her fingers before launching into a lengthy discussion about the origins of the Jackson Reclaimed Art Show, a history that began years ago in a little town 100 miles north of Jackson.

Henderson's journey with art began early in life, as a child growing up in Winona, Miss. A self-educated artist, Henderson believes her love of art is a natural part of her life.

"It's just the way God cut me out," Henderson says.

Because her father worked as a contractor, Henderson developed an interest in the textures and tones of construction materials. Commercial grade paint, lumber and other unusual materials often find their way into her studio.

Henderson works out of her Flowood home and enjoys allowing her children--Rachel, 13, McKenzie, 10, and Regan, 7--to explore their own creative potential by using the materials she has collected. She is not an isolated artist locked away in a basement, and sticking to a prescribed formula is not high on Henderson's artistic priority list. She primarily works with mixed media.

"Whatever I have in my studio at the time, that's what I use. ... It's almost like I build onto my canvases layers of paint or paper," she says.

The result is art that finds balance in disorder, simplicity in variety. Painted boldly but calmly, Henderson's works are comfortingly sincere.

Henderson says that through her art she hopes to convey positive, encouraging messages. Her marriage to her husband, Chip Henderson, inspires her to create art that deals with themes of love and togetherness, while her belief in God has impressed upon her the importance of emphasizing hope in a world that often looks hopeless.

Recently, Henderson began selling her work at local venues such as One Blu Wall Gallery in Fondren and Southern Breeze Gallery in Ridgeland.

Henderson's interest in construction materials developed further when she began to explore low-income areas of Jackson.

"There's so much demolition in the inner city, so many houses that have been condemned and a lot of good materials there," she says. "... Why couldn't we turn around and use some of those materials that are coming out of those old houses and make art out of it?"

The best part, she says, is that the art created out of these materials can then be used to raise money for languishing areas of Jackson, linking the artist and the community together.

During a recent evening service at Pinelake Baptist in Brandon, Henderson says she clearly remembers feeling convinced to use her unique talents to help the people around her. She began to ask herself a question: "How can what God has equipped you to do impact people who need help or could benefit from the way you've been blessed?"

Henderson found that her love of art could be used to minister to the needs of those around her.

"Some people are speakers and some people are teachers ... but I love art and that's the way I've been able to communicate," she says.

The idea of having a reclaimed art exhibit to raise money for charity came from her realization.