Jean-Pierre Verdijo
Jean-Pierre leads the Young Artists in Service Project at the Amala Foundation in Austin, TX. His team of teen artists teaches art to vulnerable children and they create murals of hope for homeless shelters and other “under-arted” spaces. As a child, Jean-Pierre and his mother navigated a life of homelessness. He often found himself sitting in dismal human services buildings that lacked art and expression. Art became his refuge, and today he uses art to inspire creativity and hope in Austin’s underserved communities and the teen artists he mentors. Jean-Pierre says, “I am inspired by love. For 12 years, I have explored the effects of love over fear. That curiosity has taken me as far away as India and as close as observing my own breath. In art therapy, I found my personal healing and an ability to help young people.” Let his story ignite the spirit of creative service in you.
