A New Kind of Interactive Healing Art

Setting up The Scarlet Cord Popout Gallery

“Your art speaks of healing,” said New York artist Makoto Fujimura when Pamela Alderman showed him her humble portfolio in his book signing line. Following this powerful five-minute encounter, Pamela started creating a new kind of artist/citizen work that invites audience collaboration. Her work lets others speak and respond.

After ArtPrize 2014, her work, The Scarlet Cord: Healing for Sex-trafficked Children, traveled to Phoenix during the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl to raise awareness and inspire healing. For ArtPrize 2015, visitors voted Hometown Hero into the Top 20 and 3rd Place in the Time-Based category. Over the last nine years of ArtPrize, 270,000 visitors have personally responded—by hanging notes, signing names, or tying ribbons—at her interactive healing installations.

Healing Art: PTSD and Soldier Suicide

Hometown Hero II at the Pentagon in Washington DC

In 2016, my work called Hometown Hero II exhibited at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. with Reflections of Generosity—a traveling exhibit that promotes healing for our military families. This year’s work continues to support our military families. The following Let Go letter is about the difficult journey of one Blue Star Mom whose son attempted suicide.

The Blue Star Mothers is an organization made up of moms with a son or daughter in the military. Their goal is to provide support for service members and their families—especially for those struggling with PTSD and soldier suicide. This important letter gives insight into some of the struggles that our military community faces long after the soldier returns home.

Dear M,

I thought the hardest part of our son being in the Army was going to be the deployments. The months without seeing his face. I worried: Is he eating enough? Is he cold? Is he doing okay?

But now we are now dealing with his PTSD symptoms and attempted suicide. It’s been eight months since he tried to pull the trigger. Thankfully, the blessed gun jammed.

Even after months of treatment, his wife doesn’t want him in the house. She says she is afraid. So he is staying with us, but he doesn’t sleep much. I listen to him pacing the floor at night, and I cry. Why can’t I help him?

It was so easy to take care of him when he was little—even when he got hurt. I could just talk to him and things would be all better. Life isn’t that simple anymore. He just goes to work and to his counseling appointments—that is his whole life now.

I want my son back. I feel like watching his internal battle is slowly killing me. I’m now choosing to let go of my lack of control. I need to take this step for my own emotional healing.

Miss you,
J

Note: One hundred twenty-six participants pre-submitted Let Go letters and sentences to be collaged into the painting. The names and some details have been changed to protect identities.

Hometown Hero II Travels to Pentagon in D.C.

Blue Star Mother writes hero message on Hometown Hero II at unveiling ceremony

A new series called Hometown Hero II has joined Reflections of Generosity—a traveling exhibit founded by veteran sergeant and artist Ron Kelsey to promote healing at military installations. Ron says:

Some of our soldiers and their families are broken by war and prolonged separations and often face psychological and physically debilitating changes after service. The art exhibit gives military families a safe place to heal. Otherwise, soldiers, like myself, never leave their battlefield experiences behind and move on.

This past spring Reflections of Generosity traveled to Fort Riley, Kansas and West Point where wounded warriors and cadets signed the work. In September, Hometown Hero II paintings will be unveiled at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.

Artist Pamela Alderman while painting Hometown Hero IIHometown Hero II during the unveiling ceremonyHometown Hero II during the unveiling ceremony

ArtPrize 7: Hometown Hero Joins Collection at Silver Star

Hometown Hero arriving at ArtPrize Seven and being carried by GRFD firefighters

During ArtPrize Seven in 2015, the public demonstrated enormous respect for our military by acknowledging the men and women who are willing to lay down their lives for our country. Our guardians of freedom. And now it is a tremendous honor that the original Hometown Hero painting will join the permanent collection at Silver Star—a thriving veteran community that promotes human flourishing.

I would like to thank Developer Marvin Veltkamp and Veterans Program Coordinator Tim Hunnicutt for their vision that includes using art as a healing catalyst for our veterans. While witnessing hundreds of visitors interacting with Hometown Hero, one Blue Star Mom said, “There’s a whole lot of love in that painting.” And because of this love, we are excited that the healing influence of Hometown Hero will continue.

Blue Star Mom’s Support Hometown Hero II

FOX17 interview for Hometown Hero II

MI Toy and Trinket CompanyDon’t miss Hometown Hero II: Guardian of Freedom artwork unveiling and fundraiser for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Suicide Awareness. A special thanks to the Ottawa-North Kent Blue Star Mothers for their generous support.

Event Info:

Marne American Legion
1469 Arthur Street, Marne, Michigan
Friday, August 19, 2016
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hometown Hero II custom frame/easel designed and manufactured by metal artisan, Steve Umstead, of MI Toy and Trinket Company.

See FOX17 coverage of the Hometown Hero II event…