I was thrilled to be a part of this year’s Mirror, Mirror project benefitting the Safe Place for Youth, a drop-in center for homeless youth, ages 12-25, that is currently operating two afternoons a week out of the back of a neighborhood church in Venice. There, founder Alison Hurst and numerous volunteers provide those in need with meals, donated clothing, counseling, internet access and more. They also do street outreach several days a week. It’s a great program and is a great resource to help these individuals stay afloat during tough times. The Mirror, Mirror project brings local artists to the SPY center where they are paired with individuals in the program to create portraits of one another. Some of the youth have never drawn before, while many have incredible skills and talent. I was paired with Dylan, who was new to LA and was waiting for his brother to be released from jail. I spoke with several people there and didn’t take notes, so I can’t keep straight whether he had come down from Portland or somewhere east. Either way, he was nice and soft-spoken, so I tried to make a portrait that reflected that. Though he regularly drew on a sketch pad he carried with him, he had never really experimented with photography before. I showed him what to do and he took to it right away. He even surprised me by grabbing a chair and standing on it to try a less-obvious angle. Something I wish I had tried! He was also good with direction, telling me which way to turn as he moved around searching for his frame. Once the pieces are collected, they are put on display and those done by the artists are auctioned to raise money for SPY, which has larger aspirations, such as serving more youth and one day operating 7 days a week out of its own building. Mirror, Mirror was started by local photographer Rachel Bujalski only last year. In that short time the program has expanded from a small fundraiser in the Cadillac Gallery in Venice to a celebrity-MC’d, jam-packed event at the prestigious Santa Monica Museum of Art. From the youth, to SPY to Mirror, Mirror, I couldn’t help but be impressed by all of it. I’m not sure what they raised, but by the turnout it seems the fundraiser was a success and will hopefully continue to grow in the future. If you’re interested in learning more about SPY, or even volunteering or donating, you can check out their site here. If you’re an artist interested in participating in Mirror, Mirror, you can check them out here.