OCCC professors Chloé Elimam and Jeff Provine recently collaborated on a special project that combined art, storytelling and social awareness. Both were contributors to the Curbside Chronicle’s comics issue, a unique annual edition of the street paper that uses sequential art to highlight the stories of Oklahomans experiencing homelessness.

The Curbside Chronicle, produced by the Homeless Alliance, provides income opportunities for its homeless vendors, who sell the magazine across Oklahoma City. Each year, the publication produces themed issues. Its comics edition has quickly become a favorite for readers and vendors alike, pairing local writers and artists to bring vendors’ personal experiences to life.

For Elimam, who teaches digital drawing and illustration at OCCC, the experience provided a welcome opportunity to merge her love for storytelling with meaningful community engagement.

“My vendor loved to crochet, and that immediately reminded me of stories about a red string,” Elimam said. “I wanted to weave that imagery throughout the piece, like the yarn was connecting everything.”

Her illustrations are filled with bold color choices, many inspired by downtown Oklahoma City murals.

“One mural in particular has these swirling lines that look like yarn,” she said. “It was also his favorite mural, so it felt right to bring that into the comic. It was a way to connect his story visually with the city itself.”

Elimam admitted that translating the act of crocheting into a comic was one of her biggest challenges.

“I had just taught myself to crochet, so I kept asking my husband to pose his hands so I could take pictures,” she said, laughing. “I wanted every panel to look authentic, like the reader could really see the motion of crocheting.”

While Elimam worked on the artwork, Provine focused on writing. An English professor at OCCC, he primarily teaches composition and humanities, but he will also be offering a history of comics course this fall. He described the comics issue as a deeply collaborative process.

“The vendors are interviewed, and their words are shaped into a story,” Provine said. “My job was to revise those words into a script that could be adapted into comic form. The challenge is balancing the original voice while adapting it for readers. You don’t want to hijack the story – you want to translate it.”

One of his favorite aspects of the project was finding points of connection with the vendor he worked with.

“He talked about walking through Bricktown, riding the bus at Myriad Gardens – things I do all the time,” Provine said. “It’s eye-opening to realize how much our lives overlap, even though our circumstances are different.”

Both professors said the project resonated not only with them but also with their students.

“So much of comics is collaboration,” Provine said. “Writers, artists, editors and publishers all come together. For students, that’s a valuable lesson: Find people who want to create, and build something together.”

Elimam emphasized the importance of daily practice for students hoping to improve as artists.

“I tell my students to draw every day,” she said. “In my class, they fill a sketchbook with 100 drawings during the semester. It’s about building mileage. The more you draw, the stronger your skills become.”

Although their roles were different – with Elimam responsible for visual design and Provine focused on story structure – both described the experience as fulfilling.

“This was absolutely a dream project,” Provine said. “Anytime I get to make something with others, it gives me energy to keep going.”

For Elimam, the project aligned with her long-term aspirations.

“My dream is to work on animated feature films as a visual development artist,” she said. “But even with comics, I want each panel I draw to look like it could belong in an art book for a film. That’s the standard I hold myself to.”

Both professors also hope their involvement inspires students at OCCC to see the potential in pursuing creative fields.

“There are so many branches of creativity,” Provine said. “If you’re passionate about it, study the people who inspire you. Learn from them. Over time, your work will reach that level too. It takes patience, but passion shows through.”

Elimam agreed, adding that OCCC’s renewed focus on animation and digital media creates opportunities for the next generation of artists.

“When I was a student here, the animation program was just starting to grow,” she said. “Now I get to come back as a professor and help students find their voice through drawing and design.”

As both professors reflected on the experience, they said the Curbside Chronicle’s comics issue demonstrates how art can bring awareness to important community issues while showcasing local talent.

“It’s about telling stories that matter,” Provine said. “Everyone has something worth sharing, and comics are a powerful way to do that.”

The Curbside Chronicle comics issue is currently available from vendors across Oklahoma City. Each purchase provides direct support for people experiencing homelessness and helps amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard.