Courage Ablaze at MSU!

General

Resiliant - part of the Courage Ablaze watercolor painting seriesCourage Ablaze is a museum quality traveling exhibit that has been experienced by over 70,000 people. The work serves as a megaphone—speaking with tender boldness.

Courage Ablaze pillars, icons of strength, invite movement and involvement. As viewers encircle the 7-foot pillars, they engage with the image on the front and the story printed on the back. The charred frames on the Flame Tree portray suffering while the vivid colors of the Congolese images highlight beauty and hope.

Additional elements such as five child rape textiles, a ten-foot oil painting, and twenty-five watercolor portrait paintings draw viewers into the heart of the Congolese women—leaving an unforgettable impact.

Courage Ablaze: The Women and Children of Congo

Michigan State University
LookOut! Gallery
MSU Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
November 2 through November 19, 2015

Courage Ablaze & The Hidden War of Congo is a 90 minute presentation designed to raise awareness of the war on innocent civilians in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly on the women. Kizombo Kalumbula, a naturalized Congolese professor and director of International Berean Ministry, presents the reasons for the conflict and the complex history of the region.

Pamela Alderman, a renowned watercolor artist, shares the tragic stories of Congolese refugees that she’s recorded in word and portraits, and demonstrates our connection to the troubles. “Le Clay” a Congolese refugee family choir, humanizes the statistics by singing Congolese songs in French, Lingala, and Swahili.

A question and answer period follows. Pamela’s artwork acts as the backdrop for the presentation and may remain in the facility for student viewing. Participants leave with knowledge of the almost unreported, but largest, war since WWII, and a variety of “things they can do” to make a difference.

Presentation and Opening Reception
Tuesday, November 10 at 5:00 p.m.
MSU Residential College in the Arts and Humanities • RCAH Theater
362 Bogue Street, East Lansing, Michigan
Free admission and open to the public

“My Hero Is…”

Behind the Artwork

Children are a great part of what makes ArtPrize so special Many ArtPrize Seven visitors got on their hands and knees to honor heroes Many ArtPrize Seven visitors got on their hands and knees to honor heroes Visitor in wheelchair honoring his hero on an extremely full canvas during the final day of ArtPrize Seven Close-up of layered hero messages on Hometown Hero as ArtPrize Seven draws to a close

The sound of lots of young voices: “My hero is…”

A man wrote the name of the woman that hid his mother during the Holocaust.

Hometown Hero‬ visitor: “This is what life is about. Honoring our heroes.”

A military man crawled up to the painting on his belly to write the name of his fallen comrade.

Army Spc. Eric Burri’s relative: “I wasn’t going to come to the Hometown Hero installation. But I couldn’t stay away. I haven’t cried since Eric’s death.” Lots of healing tears this morning.

Flashback to Pre-ArtPrize Hometown Hero

Behind the Artwork

A father and son honor their hero as Hometown Hero was set up for ArtPrize

It’s been 3 weeks since Hometown Hero looked like this but here is the story behind the picture:

While I was installing Hometown Hero in preparation for ArtPrize Seven, a father and his son wanted to participate by writing the names of their heroes on the painting. But, unfortunately, I didn’t have any Sharpie pens. So the two men left. But a few minutes later, they returned with a newly purchased Sharpie pen.

Touched by their eagerness to interact with my artwork, I paused to watch them. The two spent several minutes standing close to the painting. When they were finished, the father thanked me for the opportunity to reflect on their heroes. Then he gave me the pen.

As I watched them leave, I thought this father truly illustrates the essence of Hometown Hero—highlighting the beauty within our world.

Hometown Hero Voted Top 20 Finalist

General

Thank you to everyone who supported Hometown Hero! I’ve never made it this far even after seven years of ArtPrize but I finished as a Top 20 Finalist and 3rd Place in the Time-Based category. What an amazing journey!

I also need rest after such an exhausting schedule yet so many of my experiences need to be told. I’ll highlight some of those stories over the next few days, then take my break until next month when Courage Ablaze will be showing at MSU.