Ask Araaman Alvin Fudge what he does for a living, and you will be in for a lengthy answer. It is impossible to pin down this vibrant, energetic man to just one title. Among other things, he is an accomplished artist, a motivational speaker, a workshop leader, an author, a lay minister, a children's advocate and the Executive Director of Agape Village Artists, a local art gallery co-op. First and foremost, however, Araaman should be described as an artist, because he uses this vocation as a universal platform for his community work. “Art As Healing” is his philosophy, and he advances this belief with gusto.

The seventh of thirteen children, Araaman (pronounced a-RACH-a-man) was raised in Newark, New Jersey, by art-loving parents. The family's precarious financial situation kept Araaman's father from fully pursuing his art, but he encouraged creativity in all of his children. His father died when he was nine, but his mother continued to provide inspiration – particularly with her homemade quilts. “I used to sneak into her sewing room and get scraps to make things,” Araaman says of his earliest creations. “We never had a lot of money to buy gifts, so we all made each other things. I would make 3-D portraits, abstract impressionistic figures.” This early influence of mixed-media art is evident in Araaman's work, which is vivid, highly textural and unusually touchable. “People are more important than art,” he smiles, quoting one of his heroes, the African-American artist Charles White. “I like people to touch the artwork I create. Art should not be so exclusive.”

Araaman's artistic gifts, along with his belief that art can open minds and inspire positive change, naturally flourished into community work with children. As an elementary schoolteacher in New Jersey in the 1970s, he found himself faced with the challenge of finding an innovative way to teach. He discovered that the students in his classroom had a natural curiosity about the world and an inherent desire to create. “All they wanted to do was to draw and make art,” he says. So he incorporated art into every subject he taught. “When I taught health, we drew pictures of the human body. For the geography portion of Social Studies, we made giant maps out of papier mâché.” One of his earliest triumphs in broadening horizons, he says, came when a little girl in his class was “walking” to Paris on the large, floor-sized map the class had created. She looked up at him, her face alight with a sudden awareness, and said excitedly, “This is bigger than my neighborhood!” Heartened by the possibility of broadening more horizons and healing distressed children, Araaman went on to create an art therapy program.

Now based in Northeast Ohio, Araaman shares his passion and dedication to improving the community through many outlets. With his art, he hopes to inspire people to have more respect for themselves, each other and the earth we all share. “The mixed-media techniques I use allow my work to radiate and move. My art is about love and empowerment. I pray that it touches people and lifts them up, and moves people to look at themselves honestly. If my artwork inspires people to make the world a better place, then it has done its job," he explains.
Araaman's enthusiasm for encouraging art in the Cleveland area inspired him to form the Agape Village Artists, which aims to support and encourage local artists and musicians. Among other things, the co-op offers services and workshops to assist artists with self-employment, networking and marketing their work. “'Agape' means God's unconditional love,” Araaman explains. “Love is the greatest power in the universe. I'm just using this gift I've been given to help people reach their potential. My mother always taught me that when you are blessed, you should pass it on.”

Araaman also shares his knowledge, experience and spiritual peace through speaking engagements and workshops. As a public speaker he addresses self-esteem, teamwork, stress and anger management, leadership, empowerment, violence prevention and diversity. “Diversity doesn't just mean race,” he says. “Diversity comes in many forms. Culture, gender, sexual preference, class, age, musical heritage – we need to recognize and be aware of all of these issues.” Araaman manages to find time to teach private art classes, write poetry, and is also planning on publishing books on art and teaching. He is equally passionate about art in the workplace, and bringing his message to corporate America.

But closest to Araaman's heart is the nurturing of children. “Children are our treasure,” he emphasizes. “As Kahlil Gibran said in his book The Prophet, 'our children are not our children.' We have the task of caring for them so that they can reach their fullest potential.” Toward that end, Araaman works closely with Cuyahoga County Senior and Adult Services, assisting with a program which places foster children with grandparents. He advocates for foster children, appearing in court to speak out on behalf of issues in foster care. He is passionate about our collective responsibility for creating a safe, nurturing environment for children, which includes the opportunity to be creative. “To me, the greatest travesty is taking art and music out of the schools,” he says with feeling. “Exposure to art and music at a young age inspires creative, independent thinking. Without this outlet, children cannot thrive.” To help ensure that local children have exposure to art and its many benefits, Araaman has also formed GOCARTS (Gallery of Children's Arts and Learning Academy), a mobile, arts-based healing program for all ages.

Araaman's passion and obvious love for humanity are a boon not just to Northeast Ohio, but to the world. “I'm here for a reason,” Araaman says. “Ohio is the heart of America, and it's even shaped like a heart. I've heard it said that if we heal Ohio, we heal the world.” This visionary is healing the world one person at a time.
Araaman Alvin Fudge can be reached at (216) 281-0516, or by e-mail at Araaman@allvantage.com. The Agape Village Artists website is www.agapeva.org

Araaman will have a children's craft area at the Fall Wellness Festival on Saturday, October 2, 2004. Bring your kids for a fun experience making art with this amazing man! Go to our home page for details.