Photo: Starbuck’s sandwich board art
Time for a rhythm reset as we move into summer! I can’t wait to reveal some exciting interactive and collaborative art opportunities next September. Meanwhile, it’s time to enjoy family, summer campfires, and a few amazing creative adventures. Until then…
Twenty years ago, the Columbine High School tragedy happened. America sat in shock, frozen before the television. Kids were gunned down. At school. The killers laughing. Like playing Fortnite. In real life.
Sadly, history replayed. A few years later a milkman locked ten Amish girls in a Pennsylvania school house and pulled the trigger. Again. And again. And again. America shuttered, imagining the unimaginable: the last moments of the pure of heart.
Then Sandy Hook. No, not six-year-olds. America dropped to her knees, reeling in anguish.
In response to America’s heartbreaking school violence, Craig Scott, a former Columbine student, talked about his struggle with anger and hatred, and Frank DeAngelis, the former Columbine principal, said tougher gun laws, mental health services, and other supports are needed. But both Scott and DeAngelis agree that the main take away message from the Columbine tragedy is this: be kind to one another.
After the Columbine massacre while Tom and Sue Klebold, parents of one of the shooters, hid from America’s anger, their neighbors displayed a large banner to shift the narrative: “Sue & Tom, We Love You. We’re Here for You. Call Us.” These neighbors extended unconditional love.
Anne Marie Hochhalter, still paralyzed as a result of gunshot wounds at Columbine, demonstrated grace by writing a letter to the mother of her assailant: “I have no ill-will towards you. Just as I wouldn’t want to be judged by the sins of my family members, I hold you in that same regard. It’s been a rough road for me…because of my spinal cord injury and intense nerve pain, but I choose not to be bitter towards you. I have forgiven you.”
Twenty years after the bloodbath at school, these powerful examples of mercy and kindness show us how to step into our pain with healing. They show us how to embody divine beauty—in our brokenness. That horrific first, Columbine, has shown America something else: it has shown us how forgiveness and love can stop the hatred of bullets.
“How would you help heal our broken world?”
As an artist, I was delighted when one person responded to my question with the word “create.” This traveling art project purposes to start a movement of healing through interactive and collaborative art. To participate, individuals are invited to trace their hand on a piece of map and write a personal response to the question.
The map, representing our world, helped people to see their compassionate actions have the potential to affect many lives and make a global impact. I created Open Hands to inspire us to be a healing catalyst in our families, our communities—and our world. The redemptive work encourages personal application as a way to make a difference.
A child nailed it when he wrote: “I would make everything peaceful.” I loved this simple response. An interactive art exercise turned into a child’s prayer.
Another young man wrote “Caring” on his handprint. If this thoughtful response turned into action, it would transform our culture into one where we thrived and flourished. In other words, if all of us demonstrated a caring attitude to the people around us, even to those we disagree with, collective healing would flow from one hand to the next.
Open Hands is my peaceful and creative response to the culture war of shifting values raging within our nation. Every issue in our family or nation may not be resolved in the way that we would like. But together, if we choose to be a healing agent, we can make a difference by attempting to reconcile our broken relationships and fractured communities, demonstrating respect for those who think different from us, and restoring a culture of hope.
Where will Open Hands pop up next?
Follow us on Instagram to find out where and to help us reach our first goal of one thousand handprints for a future exhibit.
Open Hands—healing dialogue and compassionate action—one hand at a time.
Open Hands, a PowerPoint presentation with an interactive follow-up exercise, challenges students to make positive choices and rethink their responsibilities as global citizens. During the presentation, students learn about a fictional refugee character named Babette. Babette’s social status changes, after working years without pay, when she wins the lottery. Instead of choosing a new life of luxury, Babette gives away the entire jackpot to her community through the gift of hospitality.
Babette’s example gives students a chance to consider how they can share their resources with others. Following the presentation, students engage in a collaborative art project responding to this question: How can you help fix our broken world?
Contact Pamela to schedule your Interactive School Program.
Open Hands—inviting open dialogue and healing action—one hand at a time
As an artist, I usually think B•I•G.
If my sex-trafficking exhibit requires a forty-foot storage container, I figured out how to rent one or borrow one.
If my mental health exhibit requires 5,000 golf pencils, so that 70,000 people can write notes, I figure out how to buy 5,000 pencils (for only $200!).
But while thinking B•I•G, every once in a while I’m surprised with a new challenge. Like during this past year’s work when I didn’t supply any pens at my Broken Wings exhibit. My artistic goal was to simplify and encourage visitors to attach a wristband to the mesh walls, without any writing, as a commitment to start a Butterfly Effect of kindness.
But visitors’ desire to write messages on the wristbands couldn’t be altered; they were determined. So, at the last minute, I had to scramble to come up with pens. Thankfully, one of my volunteers kindly brought a box of 50 used pens. After a decade of experience with large crowds at my interactive exhibits, I was pretty sure that 50 pens would only last two or three days.
Amazingly, however, the pens lasted nineteen days—the duration of ArtPrize—and 65,000 individuals happily wrote kindness messages with only 50 used pens. Somehow, we even had leftover pens at the conclusion of ArtPrize.
In conclusion, this grateful artist learned that to think B•I•G sometimes requires one to think S•M•A•L•L.
I had the privilege and honor to bring my Broken Wings art presentation into a kindergarten classroom. During the presentation, the children learned about the life cycle of the butterfly. Using our bodies, we pretended to break out of a chrysalis and take flight with our delicate new wings.
We also discussed what kinds of environmental dangers damage butterfly wings as well as what kinds of negative words or actions hurt people. Then we painted butterflies and discussed how each of us can empower others by starting the Butterfly Effect of kindness—where one positive action impacts another positive action.
Celebrating 65,000 promises to start a Butterfly Effect—where one positive choice impacts another positive choice
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