Heard to be Seen, Seen to be Heard

‍Heard to be Seen, Seen to be Heard is an exhibition and collaborative project between Artist Emma Balder and formerly unhoused residents of Saint Francis Apartments (SFA). Balder held three collaborative sessions, featuring dialogue and regenerative art-making, at SFA in September 2024. The residents created a reconstructed painting-turned-sculpture based on Balder’s studio practice - they collectively painted an abstract artwork, then cut it up, rearranged the pieces, and reconfigured them around a boulder-like structure. Alongside this process, they created drawings and writings as an alternative approach to processing hardship. Activities aligned with discussions about residents’ past and current struggles, the emotions associated with them, and determining actions to overcome their challenges. The culminating artwork symbolizes resilience and new understanding: how reframing difficult experiences can be an opportunity for learning, growth, and healing. The project not only addresses the emotional, physical, and financial barriers people face transitioning out of homelessness, but also seeks to recognize the dignity in every human being.

This project is funded in part by Arts in Society. Thanks to the Arts in Society grant, participating residents were paid for their contribution to the project, as collaborating artists.

Heard to be Seen, Seen to be Heard opens on Thursday, March 27th with a reception from 4:00pm-7:00pm, which is free and open to the public. A few SFA residents will speak during the reception at 5:30pm.
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Artist Bio

Emma Balder is a visual artist working at the intersection of painting and textiles. She received her BFA in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2012. Her work has been featured in 303 Magazine, Denver Life Magazine, Luxe Magazine, Wyoming News Now, Art Houston Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, the Houston Chronicle and more. She has exhibited with venues such as Torpedo Factory Art Center (Alexandria, VA), Lawndale Art Center (Houston), Trestle Gallery (New York), Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX), Gutstein Gallery (Savannah), Art Museum of Southeast Texas (Beaumont, TX) among others. In 2022, Balder was a recipient of the Houston Arts Alliance Support for Artists and Creative Individuals grant, funded by the City of Houston, in which she facilitated a community project and installation with textiles. In 2024, she was awarded an Arts in Society Colorado grant for a collaborative project with formerly unhoused adults of Saint Francis Apartments. Balder has facilitated workshops throughout the US, including at the MCA Denver and Museum of Fine Arts Houston. From 2019-2022 she served as a volunteer member with BOX13 ArtSpace, a long-standing artist-run 501c3 in Houston. Balder currently lives and works in Denver, Colorado.

Saint Francis Apartments at Cathedral Square (SFA) offers permanent supportive housing for 49 adults formerly experiencing homelessness. In addition to safe, stable housing, they offer residents support in case management, community-building, and access to social services. Residents vary in identity and time spent living at SFA. They apply for residency through Saint Francis Center, which offers direct services to Denver’s unhoused population.

Additional Supporters

Project Lead, Artist: Emma Balder

Collaborators: Saint Francis Apartments at Cathedral Square (SFA), Saint Francis Center Participating SFA residents: Abby, Amy, Angelina, Darrin, Dawn, Duane, Dexter, Foster, Ghana, Jennifer, Larry, Reid, Sandy, Santiago, Sophia, Squeaky, Tim, Victoria
Photo/Video: Daniel Brenner
Photo/Video: AAron Ontiveroz
Additional Funders: Arts in Society, administered through Redline Contemporary Art Center
Project Volunteers: Greg, Jack, Kathleen, Lynne, Marsha, Patrick, Rebecca, Shirley, Wendy

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‍Public Hours:

Thursdays through Sundays, 12:00pm – 6:00pm March 27- April 27, 2025

Reception: Thursday, March 27, 2025.  Free and Open to the Public!

Understudy is free-to-visit and open to all. We are located at the Colorado Convention Center / Theatre District light rail stop near 14th and Stout. Look for the blue art bench.