Pop Up Art on the Golden Gate

Behind the Artwork

Pamela's Open Hands project on the Golden Gate Bridge

Where in the world is Open Hands now? While creatively traversing the country, we’ve been randomly engaging people on the streets with this question: “How would you help heal our broken world?”

Self Care Open Hands drawingOpen Hands, inspired by Babette’s Feast on stage, first debuted on the streets of New York City in March of 2018. This mobile work continued in Denver area schools and, then in 2019, the spontaneous work showed up on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Where will Open Hands pop up next? Follow us on Instagram to find out and help us reach our first goal of one thousand handprints. Imagine the potential of this healing work; each response turned into action could transform a culture that thrives and flourishes.

Open Hands—inviting open dialogue and healing action—one hand at a time

Interactive Event Art: A New Way to Create Community

General

Broken Wings during final days of ArtPrize Ten

Dad and son hanging ribbon on Broken Wings during ArtPrize TenTransform your next event from a blank canvas into a vibrant creative experience. Pamela Alderman creates interactive event art that will enhance your next team-building opportunity or themed event. Well known for her interactive event art, Pamela’s custom designed work helps communicate ideas, promote healing, and connect people. For your next community or group event, Pamela will help guide participants through a meaningful creative experience that is sure to inspire even those “latent artists.”

Collaborative Community Project

Pamela creates interactive opportunities that engage people through a brief—but meaningful—healing experience.

Collaborative Group Project

Broken Wings No. 2, Girls Court projectPamela helps coach individuals through collaborative group projects that transform into healing works of art which can be proudly displayed in a prominent place. A special thanks to PlexiCase Inc for partnering with this project for Girls Court of Kent County Circuit Court.

Be creative! Book Pamela now to enhance and personalize your next unique event.

Pamela’s collaborative and interactive art is donor supported.
You can get involved, donate securely on the Patreon web site.

The Scarlet Cord: Awareness and Healing for Sex Trafficking and Sexual Abuse

General

The Scarlet Cord elements

The Scarlet Cord presentation—comprised of a film, gallery collection, and interactive exhibit—is designed to raise awareness and inspire healing for sexual abuse survivors or those negatively impacted by the commercial sex industry. The Scarlet Cord popup exhibit contains an abstract painting series portraying the victims’ voices that have been interpreted from audio sound waves to 2D paintings.

This series is part of a twenty-five piece gallery collection. In addition, 3D optional responsive pieces, Life Words or The Scarlet Web, invite an interactive collaboration between artist and visitors. These engaging works let others speak and respond. The multi-dimensional modular components, or a special custom work created especially for your event, fit into open or closed spaces. Pamela also has coached high school and college students in creating their own unique projects.

Book The Scarlet Cord for Your Next Event…

Pamela’s collaborative and interactive art is donor supported.
You can get involved, donate securely on the Patreon web site.

Interactive Healing Art with Youth Offenders

Behind the Artwork

Broken Wings No. 2 in progress

Broken Wings No. 2

Broken Wings to Resilient Wings

A collaborative work with Girls Court of Michigan and artist Pamela Alderman
In partnership with the generous support of PlexiCase, Inc.

Broken Wings No. 2 finished

Every year thousands of Monarch butterflies migrate from Canada to Mexico. Somehow, millions of delicate butterflies successfully complete the dangerous 6,000 mile journey in order to escape northern winters. Like the Monarch, today’s youth need to learn how to push through many treacherous obstacles for survival.

As a dozen of us—Girls Court participants, 17th Circuit Court Family Division staff, and the artist, tediously painted the backsides of almost 600 mosaic tiles, the girls questioned the outcome: Would our effort actually turn into something beautiful and worthwhile? None of us could imagine the outcome because the thin blue plastic covering on the front side of the tiles wouldn’t be removed until the final class. We couldn’t see our impact—yet.

As we discussed the word “trust,” one girl said, “That’s a big word.” Trust is a big word—especially for female youth offenders who have been wounded from broken families, abuse, abandonment, or even sex-trafficking. But the girls had to take a risk and trust the artistic process as our mosaic butterfly secretly developed within the creative chrysalis.

When the final tile was glued into place, the girls gathered to witness the emergence of our Monarch butterfly. Their excitement grew as they located the tiles they had personally painted. Throughout our collaborative work, we discussed the importance of using kind words when speaking to each other, learning to trust the artist’s guidance, and collectively celebrating a completed journey. Together we produced an elegant butterfly, and as a result, our broken wings grew a little more resilient.

A special thanks to PlexiCase Inc for partnering with this project for Girls Court of Kent County Circuit Court.

Pamela’s collaborative and interactive art is donor supported.
You can get involved, donate securely on the Patreon web site.

Broken Wings Presentation

Behind the Artwork

Broken Wings presented in kindergarten school program

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.