How art gave me space to explore my experiences of homelessness and my identity

I never slept rough in the way that people usually imagine when they hear the word ‘homeless’. But I’ve spent nights in sheds, on fold-out beds, in cramped front rooms and in places that were never meant to be permanent.

That instability – of never knowing where I’d be next or how long I’d be welcome to stay – was exhausting. It’s what some people call ‘hidden homelessness’, and it’s something far more common than most realise.

As I went into my teens and early adulthood, home gradually became more unstable and unsafe. I moved between different households – sometimes with extended family, sometimes with friends or partners and even spent time in temporary accommodation arranged by others.

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It was a constant shuffle, never knowing how long I’d be welcome or where I’d end up next. Being based in the South West, I’ve known about the charity 1625 Independent People for years. I first got involved when I was 19 and attended their cooking sessions.

Back then, I wasn’t vegan, and I’d have the opportunity to experiment with all sorts of recipes. I can now make mac and cheese with marinated tofu, mushrooms, red onions and peppers. I’ve learned to make a béchamel sauce and discovered how to press and marinate tofu properly. Those initial classes were more than just cooking classes. They were a way to build foundational skills and connect with others.

Even though I’ve technically aged out of the charity’s core age range, they’ve continued to support me through housing, education and employment. That consistency has meant a lot, especially when so much else in my life has felt uncertain.

Art is important to me. It is a protest against the over-saturation of homogeneity. It is something productive that I can improve at and be proud of.

For the exhibition, working with the photographer Colin Moody, I created a piece that blends my real face with my fursona (an anthropomorphic animal character that serves as a persona for a member of the furry fandom) – half drawn, half photographed. Although part of it was inspired by box art from Sonic Unleashed, it’s also about something deeper: how we only ever see part of someone.

Hidden disabilities, queerness, neurodiversity – these things aren’t always visible, but they’re real and they are there. My artwork is a reminder not to judge based on appearances. There’s always more beneath the surface.

Collaborating with Colin on the Street Dreams exhibition was brilliant. He’s got this zany energy that’s open and creative; he’s not stuck in his ways. Colin embraced each of our individual styles and gave us space to explore what mattered to us. One of the installations shown through my piece was a wireframe structure, reflecting the cage society builds around us, and we also construct around ourselves. Expectations about gender, neurotypicality, and sexuality are all assumptions we’re forced to live within unless we push back.

Seeing my work in the exhibition, surrounded by other young people who’ve also lived through instability, was powerful.

Most artists want their work to be seen, and this was a chance to say, ‘I’m proud of this. I want you to see it’. It’s not about your art being safe or polished; it’s about being real. I want my art to reflect the world as it is, not a sugar-coated version of it. I’ve had one commission so far – a mascot for my favourite café – but I’m hoping to do more. I want my art to look the way Hideki Naganuma’s music sounds: intense, raw, full of energy. I want lines that spark, colours that clash and messages that demand to be heard.

To anyone out there making art: stop obsessing over realism. What matters is what inspires you. For me, it’s box art, the video games I grew up with, music and the messy, beautiful truth of lived experience.

The Street Dreams online auction is now live – available here, giving people the chance to purchase powerful, original works created by young people with lived experience of homelessness or care.

Every purchase will go to supporting 1625 Independent People’s vital services, helping more young people build the stability and confidence they need for the future.

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