Rainbow Santa

By Nancy Polo

Print based on original watercolor painting by Nancy Polo. This is a portrait of vendor/artisan for a paper produced by people who are experiencing homelessness. "Street Sense Media produces journalism, film, theater, photography, audio, illustration, and more, all for the purpose of providing economic opportunity for and elevating the voices of people experiencing homelessness." Every week when I work at farmers market in Dupont Circle, I buy a copy. I have a few vendors I check in with on a regular basis to hear about what they are creating. This gentleman makes an art form with color every week. His rainbow umbrella, as well as an array of rainbow objects that he lays out each week are a part of his presence. In December 2020 he was one of many silver linings in an emotionally bleak landscape.