ArtPrize 2020 Preview…Shhh!

Behind the Artwork

Veterans and their families help create Yellow Ribbon artwork during workshops

While preparing for ArtPrize 2020, Pamela has been leading various art workshops with Kent County Veterans Services. At the workshops, veterans and their families have sponge-painted special metallic paper, which Pamela will use to fashion the ArtPrize work. A special collection of eight mosaic-paintings created by veterans will be selected and incorporated into the overall design as well. All workshop participants are invited to create unique paintings.

Veterans and their families help create Yellow Ribbon artwork during workshops

We would like to thank the following West Michigan veteran organizations for sponsoring our workshops:

  • 92 For 22
  • Kent County Veterans Treatment Court
  • Blue Star Mother of South-Kent and American Legion 305
  • Blue Star Mothers of Ionia, Kent and Montcalm and Ray I Booth American Legion
  • Ottawa-North Kent Blue Star Mothers and Marne American Legion
  • Grand Rapids Home for Veterans (private donor)
  • Holland Home Independent Living

Veterans and their families help create Yellow Ribbon artwork during workshops

Veterans and their families are welcome to participate in the upcoming workshops: (Stay tuned for details)

  • 92 For 22
  • Finish the Mission Veteran Relief Fund
  • Veterans Upward Bound Program

Kent County Veteran Services is partnering with Yellow Ribbon for ArtPrize 2020.

Wood sculptures for Yellow Ribbon being created in Zero-Day woodshop

A special thanks to Zero-Day for their valuable contribution to Yellow Ribbon.

ArtPrize 2020 Veteran Art Workshops

Behind the Artwork

Working on Yellow Ribbon for ArtPrize 2020

While preparing for ArtPrize 2020, Pamela will lead art workshops with Kent County Veterans Services. These workshops will be sponsored by various West Michigan veteran organizations listed below. At the workshops, veterans and their families will sponge-paint special metallic paper, which the artist will use to fashion the ArtPrize work. A special collection of eight focus-paintings created by veterans will be selected and incorporated into the overall design. All workshop participants are invited to create unique paintings.

Veterans and their families are welcome to participate in the following workshops:

Blue Star Mothers of Ionia, Kent and Montcalm and Ray I Booth American Legion
Saturday, March 7, 2020, 12-2 p.m.
Contact the Blue Star Mothers for event details

Ottawa-North Kent Blue Star Mothers and Marne American Legion
Sunday, March 8, 2020, 2-4 p.m.
Contact the Blue Star Mothers for event details

92 For 22
Saturday, March 21, 2020, Open House 5-7:30 p.m.
Contact 92 For 22 for event details

Finish the Mission Veteran Relief Fund (Location TBD)
Sunday, March 22, 2020, 2:30 – 4:30pm

Kent County seal

Kent County Veteran Services is partnering with Yellow Ribbon for ArtPrize 2020

Red Jeans Redemption: Live Art Response

Behind the Artwork1 Comment

Red Jeans Redemption

Pamela Alderman with SEE Freedom

The Red Jeans Redemption exhibit gives voice to the hidden stories of sexual abuse, rape, and sex trafficking. This community-based work involves multiple layers of participation. First, several individuals donated funds or bought red jeans and left them on my front porch. Next, a couple of sexual abuse therapists agreed to make the project available to their clients.

One counselor wrote her own rape story on a pair of red jeans and hung them on her office wall. As clients noticed the jeans, they asked if they could participate by writing their stories too. To keep up with the increasing interest, we developed a rotation system: When the counselors returned the finished jeans, I dropped off or mailed additional jeans. Several women from Sacred Beginnings, a nonprofit that rescues victims of sexual exploitation, also recorded their sacred stories.

In February, the Red Jeans Redemption exhibit will be expanded to include Pamela’s live painting performance with an opportunity for audience engagement. For this segment, audience members will write ways they can help end exploitation on scraps of red denim. Then, Pamela, along with Anna Donahue and Susan Anderson, will incorporate the audience’s responses into a large canvas painting (detail from example painting shown). This live collaborative experience will remind visitors of the healing redemption found when shame and secrets are released and met with a compassionate response.

Join Us for Story Collective On February 25, 2020

Story Collective: A Night for Freedom curates an artistic gathering to support the work to create a future free from human trafficking for thousands in our community.

Story Collective will gather community members to showcase a new art exhibition by Pamela Alderman, the Red Jeans Redemption Project, an art experience which gives voice to survivors of exploitation. The red jeans display anonymous stories from survivors. This night we will learn together and participate in a live art response to the problem of exploitation.

Date:
Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Time:
6:15 PM – 8:30 PM EST

Location:
The Lit
61 Sheldon Avenue Southeast
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Tickets:
$55

Broken Wings: Artist Statement

Behind the Artwork

Recently, we witnessed the historic youth march in D.C., remembered the 19th anniversary of the Columbine High tragedy, and learned about many young people suffering from bullying. Meanwhile, some current solutions only seem to trigger more verbal bullets and political bullying. But to help our kids break out of the cocoon—those who are hurting, isolated, bullied, or struggling with caustic emotions—we need to help cultivate an environment of safety and peace.

Broken Wings is about bullying, school shooting, and starting a Butterfly Effect—where one positive choice impacts another positive choice—to help better our broken world. For ArtPrize Ten, the installation will be located at the Grand Rapids Public Museum (the merry-go-round museum west of the river). We look forward to interacting with you again this year and hearing about more of your stories. Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

What is one positive choice you can make to help heal our broken world?

Broken Wings
Grand Rapids Public Museum
272 Pearl Street NW (west of the river)
September 19 to October 7, 2018
Vote #66688

In light of the recent tragic school shootings across America, find out how you can create positive change from national bullying specialist Jeff Veley.

Share your story #BrokenWings

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

Broken Wings: ArtPrize Ten

Behind the Artwork

Me and that first ArtPrize now years ago? Let’s just say that when I began ArtPrize, I traveled a very steep learning curve. I didn’t know how to use a computer. I couldn’t remember ever attending a formal speech class. And I had very little training in writing. And all of these skills are essential to be successful as an artist. And then there was this little problem: I hadn’t painted in almost two decades.

But here are some of the strengths that I did have: Life experience. Perhaps age is a limiting factor with athletes. But for an artist, age deepens creativity and adds a fullness that continues to intensify with age. I also have heart. I’m willing to work hard and learn new things. And I can be persistent, which for artists is a must. So, these qualities combined with unwillingness to quit spells: She’s on the right track.

But even having these strengths don’t guarantee success. So, what is the secret behind the work? Why do thousands of visitors keep coming back, year after year, to experience it? Well, the answer is quite simple.

Each of my art installations have this huge army of friends praying for the work and for the ArtPrize visitors. Simply put, that’s what empowers my healing art. That’s why people connect with it. No other reason. Period.

Broken Wings
Grand Rapids Public Museum
272 Pearl Street NW (west of the river)
September 19 to October 7, 2018
Vote #66688

In light of the recent tragic school shootings across America, find out how you can create positive change from national bullying specialist Jeff Veley.

Share your story #BrokenWings

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

My HEART and My ART: A DECADE as an ArtPrize Artist

From the Heart

Butterfly art

So MANY of you have LOVED our past exhibits. Broken Wings promises to be just as powerful and encouraging. But we can’t do these gigantic exhibits by ourselves. Well, we can. But then YOU would miss out on the blessings and excitement of being part of our powerful work during ArtPrize. So, we invite your partnership. We offer you the opportunity to take part in our art and stand with us—as collaborators.

The Purpose

Art touches deep places in the human spirit. When the viewers encounter the work, significant conversations result. Usually the tears start to flow too. Many seek us out just to talk. Some even return just to talk again.

Your Part

You can be part of our sidewalk ART ministry. We invite you to partner with us in joy of giving—the pouring out of ourselves and our resources for others. We invite you into our circle of giving—giving away all our strength and energy during ArtPrize—for the benefit of others. So many leave our exhibit changed and renewed!! Then, in turn, some of them end up pouring out their lives for others as well. The circle of giving is a beautiful model. Isn’t this what Divine sacrifice is all about?!

Crazy Numbers!

We had 70,000 people interact with our work last year. So perhaps around 150,000 visitors actually came to our work. But only 70,000 (maybe 50%) wrote notes. We can count the interactions because we know the amount of supplies that we purchase. Last year every box contained 1,000 sheets of paper, and we went through seventy boxes!! That equals 70,000 interactions!! I don’t even have to struggle with MATH on that one!

The UPS Guy

The UPS GUY probably knows me by name!! I mean, how many ladies buy 5,000 golf pencils? I can just hear the UPS guys, “Yeah, that lady where I delivered the 5,000 golf pencils…” I didn’t actually want to buy 5,000 pencils. But IF I’m going to continue to serve the ArtPrize audience then I NEED to buy 5,000 golf pencils!!

A Decade!!

This is our 10th (last??) year of ArtPrize! Join us and fasten your seatbelt! Every day is an action packed adventure!! Every day is a chance to see the POWER of healing. The power of compassion. THE POWER OF ART!

Will you join our team and help us bring a message of hope to ArtPrize? Click here…

Summer’s a Comin’!

General

Artist brushes

It’s that time of year again. Time to power down for summer. It’s been a busy year!

I may check in a time or two here with brief updates on expanding The Scarlet Cord: Healing and Freedom for Sex-trafficked Children and other works. Exciting times—with my sex-trafficking work increasing.

Watch for my regular posts starting again mid-August as we ramp up for ArtPrize Ten. Yes, this will be my tenth year participating. I’m pleased to announce that my ArtPrize Ten work will be hosted by the Grand Rapids Public Museum. I can’t wait to unveil my Broken Wings collection and invite the ArtPrize audience to participate again.

Enjoy your summer!