Hometown Hero: Healing Spaces

Behind the Artwork

Throughout ArtPrize Seven, guests approached the Hometown Hero painting with visible excitement. Laughter, smiles, hugs, and tears were evident. The bonds of love deepened as families honored important individuals.

For some, moments of silence commemorated the life of a hero. Times of remembrance, contemplation, and sadness. Many Vietnam veterans shed tears.

Others needed to talk. To pay tribute. Parents told their children about special people in their lives. Grandfathers were recognized. Tender moments between husbands and wives were conveyed in whispers and looks. The work was a catalyst for many precious moments.

What hero in your life stands out above the rest? Share your story #HometownHero

To learn more, visit watercolorbypamela.com…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

Hometown Hero: Eric’s Story

Behind the Artwork

Wars in places like Iraq show us that our world is broken. Because of this, we need heroes like Eric Burri. Heroes we can look up too. Heroes who inspire us.

Eric joined the military after 9/11 to protect our country and, sadly, died while serving. But Eric’s heroic service is about more than laying down his life for others. His inspiring story is also about his parents and a community coming together to help others. Eric’s legacy is about making a difference—demonstrating the power of a hero’s influence and how the art created to honor him also became a catalyst for healing.

What is one thing you can do to help our broken world? Share your story #HometownHero

To learn more, visit watercolorbypamela.com…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

Hometown Hero: A Legacy of Hope

Behind the Artwork

Before ArtPrize even began, a father and son took a quiet moment to interact with Hometown Hero installation. Their surprising determination to write a hero’s name on the painting, while we were still installing the work, hinted what was to come during ArtPrize. In that spontaneous moment, the father’s determination to have a teachable moment with his son ended up inspiring me too.

How do you honor the heroes in your life? Share your story #HometownHero

To learn more, visit watercolorbypamela.com…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

Hometown Hero II and Reflections of Generosity

Behind the Artwork

My series called Hometown Hero II has joined Reflections of Generosity—a military traveling exhibit founded by veteran sergeant and artist Ron Kelsey. The work promotes healing with military members and their families. In 2016, Reflections of Generosity along with Hometown Hero II, with the generous support of west Michigan BlueStar Mothers, showcased at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. to help raise awareness for PTSD and suicide prevention.

What talents in your life can be used to help others? Share your story #HometownHero

Visit Reflections of Generosity…

To learn more about my Hometown Hero interactive healing artwork…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

Participatory Art

Behind the Artwork

Over the last decade of creating interactive healing installation at ArtPrize, I have discovered that the audience reaction to the artwork often ends up being different from what I imagined. The visitors somehow end up creating their own unique response to the work.

For ArtPrize 2013, we created four thousand origami birds and prepared 20,000 vellum cards for the growing response to our participatory work. Then, with only two days left of ArtPrize, almost all 20,000 note cards had been hung on the wall. I knew that by evening, we would run out of cards. When I returned the next morning, I was astonished.

Fifty of my business cards clung to the wall. As I stepped closer, I noticed that people had continued to write prayers, punched holes in them, and then hung them. The ArtPrize visitors’ desire to participate in the creative process couldn’t be stopped. A generative opportunity was birthed by the visitors; the artwork moved them to create their own pathway to healing—their own pathway towards human flourishing.

In this video, though this particular art project is on a much smaller scale, the spontaneous and unique response is similar—which leads to another discovery: Cats love art, too!

Enjoy!

What is one thing you can do to foster creativity with others? (be it human or be it cat)? Share your story #TheCat

To learn more, visit watercolorbypamela.com…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

The Scarlet Cord: Making

Behind the Artwork

The Scarlet Cord Collection, which first debuted at ArtPrize 2014, helps raise awareness for sex-trafficking. But it also speaks to deep emotional wounds caused by sexual abuse. Many male and female visitors have taken the first brave steps towards healing while experiencing the artwork.

By using words or releasing tears in acknowledgement of what happened, the healing process for some begins. True inner freedom is possible. But healing takes time and long-term effort.

If you have a past history of sexual abuse, we would encourage you to seek healing for resolution and closure. Surround yourself with people who care, compassionate people who are willing to help you move forward.

What is the next step you need to take to find true healing?

Learn more about Healing in Arts…

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!

Welcome to My YouTube Channel!

General

Individuals may rack up 5,847 synthetic Facebook friends in our cyber culture. But, as isolation escalates and meaningful relationships dwindle, loneliness increases. To help address these relational needs, I create spaces, as a hospitality artist, to help viewers feel cared for and validated—through art. Our participatory art focuses on the viewer and on healing.

To connect with you and explain my work, I created this YouTube channel. While still in the learning process, I would love to hear from you. Your feedback is valuable as we continue to explore new ways to relate authentically with others.

Why not ask a friend out to coffee and talk—and just share life?

Our healing art involves you—because you matter!