Fresh Loaf

Georgia State students know the friendly, eccentrically dressed artisan perched next to a magnificent stash of copper on a corner of Woodruff Park. He’s claimed the same downtown spot for three years — right in the middle of the walk from one end of the GSU campus to the other. Roggers’ jewelry is good enough to be displayed in the Healey Building’s Arts for All Gallery, but he’s still outside every day cultivating a following on his own.

Where are you from? Harlem, New York

You told me before that you dropped out of school. Tell me about that again. I dropped out because I kept getting kicked out of grades; from 6th to 7th, 7th to 8th. I got tired of getting kicked around. The last grade I finished was 8th, but I have a masters degree in common knowledge.

How’d you end up in Atlanta? A psychiatrist sent me to a Salvation Army rehabilitation center here because I was on crack, trying to cry for help. It’s a tough cycle to break, but I’ve done it; I’ve beat the statistics.

How’d you get the name “Copper”? I used to sit in front of the Peacock on Auburn Avenue. One of the guys – a Rastaman from Trinidad named Stokely – started calling me Copper. He was a real inspiration to me.

Where’d you learn to make jewelry? Wow, that’s a long story. I was homeless; I used to sleep here. I see people begging students for money, but I’m not a beggar. I was working twelve hours a day for 10 dollars a day. I prayed and God told me to get some copper. So I started collecting copper. One night, I pulled copper from a trashcan for two hours – it was 250 pounds of copper. And every time they would lock me up, God would give me a new twist.

Do you make a decent living on jewelry? I used to. Lately, it’s been slow because police don’t let me sell it. (He sees a young woman walk by and says, “Love her hair – it’s got that copper look”.) Now I just say “small donation,”,because in the park, I have to pay them $2,000 a month to sell here. I’ve been fighting the city for 13 years with my talent. How you gonna make me pay to use a God-given talent that I use to take care of myself? I have an 11-year audience; give me a break.

What do you feel like your greatest achievement has been? Getting off crack. As far as my talent: my chain. It’s 198 pounds. I just started doing sculptures too – I’m an artist.

Biggest aspiration? My biggest dream is to build a home for the homeless – with job training, GED classes, computer skills, arts and crafts, etc.

Tell me about the chain you’re making to go around Woodruff Park. I’ve done one chain already but I went back to dope and sold it. I was locked up in solitary confinement and realized what happened and screamed. I prayed and it came to me to just do another one, because America loves the fall of the high and mighty, but they also love a great come-back.

What is your relationship with the Healey Building? An arts marketing program came to Atlanta, and a Healey representative came by here one day and said, “Copper, you’re an artist.” Everyone kept telling me, “You’re so talented.” I didn’t even know what talent was. All I knew is that I had some, and I was good at it. All my life I wanted to be good at something: cooking (I’m a good cook), demolition (I’m not bad at that), but I love copper (for the women probably).

Are you homeless? I wouldn’t say yes, I wouldn’t say no. In my heart, I feel like homeless is a state of mind. Because when I was homeless, I wasn’t hopeless, and there’s a difference. If I can wake up and see the sun, I can face whatever my day brings.

Where do you sleep? I do house-sitting. I have some friends who do real estate, so I stay there so no one steals the copper.

Where do you get the copper? When I was on crack I used to steal it, go in the garbage cans and get it. Now people bring it to me that do demolition work, construction workers, students bring it to me, various people in the community. If I need to, I go to Home Depot. Actually, I think Home Depot would be a good sponsor. Put that in there.

Do you have a significant other? No, do you want to be her? I need one. Oh, that reminds me, one of my goals – I gotta buy me a smile.

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