Broken Wings No. 4 – Legacy Journey
3 x 3 foot Mixed Media
A collaborative work with Breton and Raybrook Assisted Living Facilities and artist Pamela Alderman
A Monarch butterflies takes about five generations to migrate from Canada to Mexico and back again. Scientists believe the butterflies have some sort of internal mechanism that guides them tothe Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico. Some butterflies even return to the exact fir trees as their ancestors—where they safely roost to survive the winter.
Like the butterflies, an internal moral compass exists within each of us. Grandparents can help strengthen that moral compass for the next generations—through a legacy of faith and hope. The following generations can learn to safely navigate life’s storms by following their example.
For Broken Wings No. 4, residents and staff were invited to write legacy words on marbled paper, handmade paper with colorful swirls of paint. Words that represent who they were and what they stood for. Words about their favorite memories, songs, family stories, or values. The participants wrote healing words for their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to help guide them.
One resident talked about her difficult cancer journey as she picked up a pen. “After chemo therapy treatment, I couldn’t write at all for several months. But I was able to write on this butterfly!” Her emotional well-being took flight as this grandmother joyfully participated. After filling a couple of sheets of paper with precious words, she expressed deep gratitude for the chance to write her creative thoughts—a gift lost and then found again. Her bright smile and unwavering heart, reflected through a pen, helps align the moral compass for the next generation’s migration.
Contact Pamela to schedule your Interactive Event Art.
