The Art of Belonging: Richard’s Story
Richard Michael Ramirez has lived a lifetime in the city of Bellflower. Born in Artesia in 1952 and raised in a family home bought in Bellflower in 1943, Richard has deep roots in this community. A graduate of Bellflower High School, Class of 1970, Richard has spent much of his life working in creative fields—T-shirt graphics, silkscreen production, logos, cartoon illustration, and color separation. Throughout his journey he has been through many experiences, and even through the sorrowful one—but his passion for art has always been a constant.
When Richard found himself at New Hope Shelter in Bellflower, looking for assistance with housing, he never thought that his visit to Kingdom Causes Bellflower would rekindle his artistic flame. "You asked me about what I had did for a living," Richard recalls, "and I told you I was a graphic artist. Then you mentioned having some ideas for painting, and that sounded like something I was interested in, so here we are!”
You see, here at Kingdom Causes, we have a community center where the hope and vision is that everyone would have a place to belong. When we found out that Richard had a deep yearning to be creative again, we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to help him feel purpose and belonging through his outlet, which life had unfortunately taken from him. Using our “Love Thy Neighbor” fund, we went out and bought canvasses, and hoped that he would accept the challenge. All the while we hoped that giving Richard a space to relax and paint would be less of just a thing for him to do, and more of an opportunity to show him the love of Jesus and give him the same sense of purpose God has for each and every one of us.
We believe the opportunity did just that. Having a space to paint at the community center as often as he wanted has been more than just an opportunity—it's been a lifeline. "Being at the shelter, I have most of my supplies and paintings in storage, and I didn’t think I was going to get a chance to do anything until I settled somewhere," he shares. "But this gave me a chance to get away from the shelter for a few hours, get creative, and it's a meditative thing for me. It’s real satisfying once I get a piece done. I feel like I have purpose"
Another part of the deal was being able to highlight his work through display, which has brought Richard a sense of pride and accomplishment. "It's a good feeling," he says, reflecting on his previous experiences in Long Beach, where he participated in art shows and sold some of his work. "It’s a pleasure to be here and still be able to work on some things and stay creative. I get inspired by looking at artwork from other artists, and I hope that others will feel the same way about mine. Children get delighted, and grown-ups just kind of like all the colors. Everyone has a different response, and that’s the beauty of art."
The process of creating his paintings is a personal experience for Richard. "When I get ideas for painting, I start doing sketches—maybe two or three variations of something. Then I’ll take a canvas, do the background first, and sketch my idea on there roughly. It’s almost like sculpting; you start laying the paint on, layer by layer, because it takes time to dry. It’s a process, and the finished product is always satisfying.” He shared that doing art gives him peace and a sense of belonging, especially as someone who considers himself an introvert. "Art and music have always given me a way to express myself, so it’s a real delight when people see my work and get excited by it. It’s my way of getting recognition.”
For Richard, the concept of "belonging" goes beyond just being a part of something—it’s about having purpose and contributing to a greater cause. "Being here gives me a sense of belonging, and that makes me feel like I have purpose. Seeing what goes on here, how you are helping people, it’s a good feeling because I feel that in the long run, I’ll get that help that I need too.”
His advice to others going through tough times is rooted in his own experiences: "I’ve met a whole lot of people at the shelter who have their own stories and are going through a lot of things. But even with their problems, they’re all people with great hearts and great personalities. My mother always instilled in me the importance of faith. Even when things get bad, she told me to never forget my faith, and that’s what’s kept me going. We’re not the only ones with problems, and with knowledge, we can help each other through them."
We are so glad that Richard has become a part of the daily comings and goings of the Community Center, and are so grateful for his talents, heart, and kind demeanor. It is stories like his that make the community center what it is; real people from the community just doing life together, and we hope that his story inspires others as well. If his artwork is any indication, there will be a lot of people asking, “who did this?” with a smile on their face, and we’ll be so glad to tell them all about Rich.
Through his art, he has found a place where he belongs—a place where his creativity is valued, his story is heard, and his faith is strengthened; and everyday when we see his work on our walls, we’ll be reminded of both the power of purpose, and the importance of belonging.
Stay tuned. Richard decided to do a bonus painting for us and we’re making a short video to show off some of his skills!
