Broken Wings: Butterfly Effect

Behind the Artwork

Broken Wings encourages students to overcome adversity through emotional strength and to diffuse negativity through kindness. The work challenges visitors to come up with their own creative solutions on how to stop bullying and help end school gun violence.

After seventeen were killed in Florida, Jeff Veley, national bullying specialist, wrote about one student who had a different idea on how to respond: Why not show love to seventeen new people? Smile at seventeen new people? Or befriend seventeen new people?

Kindness may not solve every problem. Or stop every bullet. But perhaps the power of love could have changed the deadly consequences in some of our schools. Since none of our current solutions are successful, how can each of us start a positive butterfly effect to help heal our nation and bring an end to the suffering, chaos, and brokenness?

Who is a new person in your life that could use a little kindness today?

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: You Matter

From the Heart

I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, it can start a chain reaction. Rachel Joy Scott, first student killed, Columbine High School, 1999

Every person is worthy of compassion. Even people we find distasteful or crude. You know…the people that really bug us or grate on our nerves. Even those types deserve kindness and respect. Whether we agree with them or not, everyone deserves to be treated with civility. From the very top all the way down to the very bottom.

Mother Teresa, perhaps the greatest modern-day example of unconditional love, showed us what can happen when one person goes out of his or her way to show compassion. Although we can’t control everyone, we can control ourselves. And we can choose to treat each other with kindness. Think about it: What if Rachel Joy Scott’s theory is true? Then we never know when the next act of compassion may change a life and start a chain reaction of healing.

How can you start a chain reaction or Butterfly Effect of compassion in your school or at your workplace?

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: Giving Kids Hope

General

National bullying specialist Jeff Veley and I collaborated in making a few Broken Wings videos to give students, families, and educators new tools to deal with bullying and cyberbullying. Watch our daily updates as we release new videos throughout ArtPrize Ten.

We also invite you to visit Jeff’s page and sign up for his free training videos. His message on how to deal with bullying is solid stuff. Jeff’s teaches kids about the power of kindness, emotional resilience, and how to solve their own social problems. Jeff’s success has been recognized across the nation, and he has received several educational awards. So, check out his page.

What can you specifically do to help protect your children or your students from cyberbullying?

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: Art That Involves You

General

To help solve our national problem of bullying and school shootings—from Columbine to Parkland to Santa Fe—what steps can we take to start a positive butterfly effect?

Broken Wings is an artist/citizen work. This participatory installation invites a response. The work gives individuals an opportunity to get involved. To take action.

Broken Wings visitors are invited to connect a colorful band onto the interactive panels as a commitment to start a butterfly effect—where one positive choice impacts another positive choice. With each band, we collectively make a promise to help bring an end to the suffering, chaos, and brokenness. From the broken wings across the United States—let’s make new choices for a better future. Let’s help heal our nation.

How can you get involved and help heal our nation? What can you do to help heal your family or your neighborhood?

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: 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: A New Journey

Behind the Artwork

Broken Wings invites individuals on a new journey. While some of the traditional arguments over bullying and school gun violence are stalemated, why not consider new ways—different ways—on solving our national problem? How could each of us personally help to make a difference? For ArtPrize Ten, we are inviting visitors to consider starting a positive Butterfly Effect to empower children and help heal our broken nation.

The Butterfly Effect, an alternative scientific theory, challenges us to consider that every action has a reaction. Like the tiny flutter from the butterfly’s wings, the smallest deed or word has impact. Every interaction—positive or negative—has the potential to change the course of a child’s life.

We may not be able to stop all bullying and gun violence from happening. But we can all create positive change and be part of the solution.

What is one thing you can do to help bring about positive change and help heal your school, your family, or your community?

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!

Let Go: Children Respond

Behind the Artwork

Life’s ebb and flow eventually may bring us to a healing place. At times, we may feel like we’re drowning in the sea of despair, defeat, or disappointment. But transformation can occur if we are willing to accept change.

ArtPrize visitors were invited to write a couple of words on the vellum paper to identify their struggle—the thing that was weighing them down—like control, fear, unforgiveness, etc. Many discovered that just writing a few words helped activate the healing process. Even the children got involved. Don’t miss some of the funny, but profound, responses from these kids.

What is one thing that you need to Let Go of? Share your story #LetGo

To learn more, visit watercolorbypamela.com…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!