Color Me Orange—Color Me Kind: School Bullying

Behind the Artwork

After the suicide of Zoe Johnson, a West Michigan thirteen year old, a fellow student wrote on the victim’s Facebook page: “Good ur gone.”

I don’t know all the details involved. But after listening to the news report on bullying, I felt compassion for Zoe’s mother and what must be her complete devastation by her daughter’s death and the tragic outcome, in this case, of school bullying.

Color Me Orange—Color Me Kind shines a spotlight on bullying. The installation is specifically tailored for middle school students—often the most vulnerable. Some students like Zoe suffer so intensely from bullying that they believe that suicide is the way to end it all.

The Artwork

Color Me Orange—Color Me Kind is a 16 x 4 x 6-foot wooden structure enclosed by orange mesh walls. The work also supports an eight-foot focal art piece, weighing approximately 140 pounds, which shows Koi fish struggling to swim upstream; this struggle represents our challenging relationships.

The two top layers of the artwork are made up of painted Plexiglas fish and splashes. The placement of these fish and splashes creates a sense of energy and tension. The following side view shows the multi-layer artwork.

Acrylic fish on plexiglas Fish and splashes (side view)

The Plexiglas panel located below the fish represents the river water. The following photos show the back side of the Plexiglas panel that is painted with several layers of acrylic paint. From the front view, each layer creates texture and the sense of depth. Some of the current has been left unpainted to give a glimpse of the riverbed. This multi-layered art piece rests on an eight-foot stainless steel base etched with current marks that portrays river bottom movement.

Plexi panel (back view): Layer one
Plexi panel (back view): Layer one

Plexi panel (back view): Layer two
Plexi panel (back view): Layer two

Plexi panel (back view): Layer three
Plexi panel (back view): Layer three

Viewing the artwork from the front, visitors can see through the splashes and river current, enhancing a multi-dimension visual experience. The installation is situated next to the pond and waterfalls of the Ford Presidential Museum, giving water sounds, and, if the wind is just right, the spray of water.

Interactive Healing Installation

Fifty thousand orange ribbons have been prepared for visitors to interact with the work. As ArtPrize viewers tie orange ribbons on the canvas, the see-through orange mesh fencing will become opaque with color. Thus, as a community, we will be symbolically coloring with kindness.

By choosing to be deliberately kind, our actions have the potential to brighten someone’s world.

Maybe kindness, love, and understanding would have helped Zoe’s school situation and resulted in a different outcome. Life-affirming creativity that invites reflection and flourishing can heal.

Color Me Orange—Color Me Kind

ArtPrize Eight (2016) Artist

Coloring with Kindness
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
September 21 to October 9, 2016
Vote 62626
(Located outside on the museum plaza)

Tell Us Your Story. #ColorMeKind

Blue Star Mom’s Support Hometown Hero II

General

FOX17 interview for Hometown Hero II

MI Toy and Trinket CompanyDon’t miss Hometown Hero II: Guardian of Freedom artwork unveiling and fundraiser for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Suicide Awareness. A special thanks to the Ottawa-North Kent Blue Star Mothers for their generous support.

Event Info:

Marne American Legion
1469 Arthur Street, Marne, Michigan
Friday, August 19, 2016
5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Hometown Hero II custom frame/easel designed and manufactured by metal artisan, Steve Umstead, of MI Toy and Trinket Company.

See FOX17 coverage of the Hometown Hero II event…

Hometown Hero II Travels to the Pentagon

General

Hometown Hero II: Guardian of Freedom

Hometown Hero II
The Pentagon, Washington, DC
September 5-17, 2016

Sergeant Ron Kelsey, founder of Reflections of Generosity, a traveling art exhibition which helps provide soul healing for our military community, invited me to give a presentation, lead a workshop, and exhibit my artwork at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. in September. I answered, “Yes!”

My talk will raise awareness of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and soldier suicide through my new art series called Hometown Hero II that focuses on hope and inner healing for our military community. Some of our soldiers are struggling with a cascade of emotions after returning from war. While in Iraq on an American base, Sergeant Ron Kelsey heard police sirens whiz by. Suicide had claimed another young soldier’s life. Ron writes, “Fellow soldiers walked around like lifeless zombies.”

According to the VA, approximately 11-20% of our current veterans are experiencing PTSD. And 18 to 22 veterans commit suicide daily. This means that approximately 8,000 veterans a year take their own lives. According to NBC News in 2012, more soldiers took their own lives than died in combat.

Healing in Arts

Hometown Hero II paintings are being created for soldiers like Sergeant Ron Kelsey and their families to sign the names of their heroes on the artwork. These paintings will be unveiled at the Pentagon and then will travel to military bases with the Reflections of Generosity Collection. Sergeant Ron Kelsey says, “Art can help heal the battlefield trauma entrenched in the soldier’s heart. Thankfully, in the art world, their feelings and voices can be freely expressed.”

Healing Wings (detail)

Hometown Hero II Art Unveiling and Fundraiser

Hometown Hero II fundraiserJoin us for a pig roast on Friday, August 19, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Marne American Legion on 1469 Arthur Street, Marne, Michigan. The Hometown Hero II painting will be available for viewers to sign. This event is sponsored by Ottawa-North Kent Blue Star Mothers MI #194.

Become an Art Patron!
Help Fund Hometown Hero II

Many of you will want to help raise the funds needed for the artwork and travel expenses. The paintings will be donated to Reflections of Generosity. Tax deductible funds can be donated through New Horizons Foundation.

The Grand Art Show

General

Turquoise Sea paintingThe Grand Art Show
Featuring five West Michigan artists
When: April 13 to 16, 2016
Where: Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Time: 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Image: Turquoise Sea, Pamela Alderman, Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches, 2016

Bring a friend and enjoy some great art and fellowship with five talented artists. The show will be located on the main floor at the northwest corner of the Amway hotel overlooking the river. All paintings will be for sale, and the artists are also open to custom commissioned paintings.

If you have questions or if you would prefer to come at a time outside of the scheduled show hours, call Marve Veltkamp at 616-299-4537.

The Artists

Frits Hoendervanger will have about a dozen paintings on display including his large 2014 Art Prize landscape painting, a couple of awesome portraits, a 4 ft. x 6 ft acheter synthroid. landscape that he has been spending many hours completing, and several recent paintings, including some small ones that have not been on display before and a few other works from his inventory. Frits is also planning to attend the show.

Jeanne Rockett has been a favorite West Michigan artist for decades. Jeanne is especially known for her Lake Michigan seascapes and other Michigan landscapes. She has received several national awards for her paintings and a series of her paintings adorn many homes and businesses in the great lakes area. We will have approximately a dozen paintings of various sizes on display.

Pamela Alderman is probably best known for her participation in ArtPrize for the past several years where the attendance for her display was phenomenal. She is a very talented watercolor artist and has the unique ability to create awe-inspiring meaning to each of her paintings. Her collection features flowers, birds, children, portraits, memories, and only she knows what else. I can assure you that you will be so pleased to not only admire her work but also to meet her personally.

Kathleen Kalinowski is one of the most talented landscape artists I have ever had the privilege of supporting. She has been working with pastels for decades and her paintings certainly reflect that experience. Her oil paintings are very realistic and colorful. She has the ability to feature elements in a landscape that would likely not even be noticed with the naked eye. Her works have been displayed in exhibits throughout the United States. We are planning to exhibit many of her paintings of various sizes.

Marella Poortenga Morris is a talented young woman and as the former president of the Grand Gallery(s) is very knowledgeable in the art work world. Her passion for animals drove her into her present career working as a Licensed Veterinary Technician in the Grand Rapids area. She recently returned to painting so we anticipate a few smaller paintings to be on display. She would love to meet or reconnect with many of you.

Written by Marve Veltkamp