A 17 Mile Journey

Behind the Artwork

Getting trace drawing of hands in NYC

While walking seventeen miles through New York City, I invited individuals to respond to my interactive art as I stopped on sidewalks, waited in line at famous tourist attractions, or sat in Starbucks. I challenged others to live generously and be part of the solution to healing our broken world. My artwork spoke of compassion and living large hearted. But do I actually live that way myself?

Hand trace sketches from NYC

At the end of one day after challenging others on the streets of New York to help impact our broken world, I missed a valuable chance to connect with a stranger. After a woman who was drinking alone at the bar saw my husband pull out my chair at the table, she said, “Aren’t you lucky.”

We chatted for a quick moment. But I kept thinking of her as I ate my meal. When she pulled out twenty dollars to pay her tab, I had an urge to offer to pay for her drink. But I didn’t act.

I did say goodbye, though, and wished her well. This restarted another small conversation. But as I watched her leave the restaurant, I felt an emptiness—a lost opportunity. I didn’t have any more maps left to invite her to interact with my art. But this woman probably needed something deeper than an interactive art experience. This woman may have needed the artist, herself, to live out her art message.

Today I’ll look for another moment to connect. This time I hope to respond like Babette and offer the next stranger an opportunity to experience infinite grace. Then my artwork will actually have an impact across generations because the artist will have learned to live with an open hand.

Babette’s Feast is now playing at the Theatre at St. Clements located at 423 West 46th Street, New York, NY 10036

#BabettesFeast
@babetteonstage

The Scarlet Cord at Cornerstone University

General

The Scarlet Cord at Cornerstone University

The Scarlet Cord: Healing for Sex-trafficked Children is now showing at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Students and community members are invited to interact with the work by tying a scarlet cord. The scarlet cords are a reminder that children are enslaved in human trafficking all around the world—and even in places like Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The Scarlet Cord
March 12 – 14, 2018
Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, Michigan

The Scarlet Cord: Mentoring Students

Behind the Artwork

Students from Saugatuck High School created their own sex-trafficking installation

“I was raped,” a student revealed during a recent phone interview. Each year several students contact me requesting an interview or mentoring. Although the purpose of each interview is to discuss my work, the conversations often turn personal.

This past year, students from Colorado and southern California asked for coaching with their sex-trafficking projects. I also worked with students from Saugatuck High School via email, text messaging, Skype, and a visit to my garage studio. Because of generous donations from art supporters, I gave the Saugatuck students most of the supplies needed to develop their own sex-trafficking installation.

When the student shared during our phone interview that she was raped, I had the opportunity to talk about my healing art and how her school assignment about human trafficking could be therapeutic for her. Amazingly, at such a young age, this student already understands how her own wounds have the potential to help other victims find freedom’s path.

DONATE NOW and join The Scarlet Cord’s mission:
Freedom and healing for sex-trafficked children

Image (above): Students from Saugatuck High School created their own sex-trafficking installation

Instagram @ Pamela Alderman

#paint4healing
#artistcitizenwork

Sex Tourism Booms

From the Heart

The Scarlet Cord - Stripped (detail)

“Nine point four million men come to Thailand every year for sex.” My simple Internet journey to double check this statistic from Noel Yeatts led to the discovery of more shocking statistics about sex-trafficking. The number of pedophiles or sexually broken people demanding to satiate their sex drive with sickening perversions and barbaric acts forced upon another human—many of which are innocent children—is out of control.

To combat this evil and to rescue these innocent victims from the dark creepy crevices of our world, there are many successful non-profits, such as Women at Risk International, StreetLight USA, Manasseh Project, and Shared Hope International. I have had the privilege of working with these particular organizations through my art called The Scarlet Cord: Healing for Sex-trafficked Children. But, unfortunately, the numbers of trafficked victims aided by these hard-working, dedicated organizations is so small compared to the hundreds of thousands that are still held in bondage.

Because millions of tourist are soliciting elicit sex in just one country alone, it will take a united front of non-profits, law makers, law enforcers, community leaders, and even average citizens—like you and me—to eradicate this blight on our watch. Like the abolitionists of past centuries, it will also require great sacrifice and resolve to demand, and assure, freedom for all. Meanwhile, as these tireless organizations work to free one child at a time, and The Scarlet Cord continues to raise awareness and encourage healing, remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful words: “No one is free until we are all free.”

Resources and Help

RAINN
Men & Boys

DONATE NOW and join The Scarlet Cord’s mission:
Freedom and healing for sex-trafficked children

A New Kind of Interactive Healing Art

Behind the Artwork

Setting up The Scarlet Cord Popout Gallery

“Your art speaks of healing,” said New York artist Makoto Fujimura when Pamela Alderman showed him her humble portfolio in his book signing line. Following this powerful five-minute encounter, Pamela started creating a new kind of artist/citizen work that invites audience collaboration. Her work lets others speak and respond.

After ArtPrize 2014, her work, The Scarlet Cord: Healing for Sex-trafficked Children, traveled to Phoenix during the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl to raise awareness and inspire healing. For ArtPrize 2015, visitors voted Hometown Hero into the Top 20 and 3rd Place in the Time-Based category. Over the last nine years of ArtPrize, 270,000 visitors have personally responded—by hanging notes, signing names, or tying ribbons—at her interactive healing installations.

Custom Interactive Exhibits

General

Custom exhibit for Manasseh Project's Stop This Traffic conference

Pamela creates custom interactive exhibits. To find out more information for your next event, contact the artist.

Above: An interactive healing exhibit especially designed for Manasseh Project’s Stop This Traffic conference.

Below: This past spring, another interactive installation showcased at Grand Valley State University’s Frederik Meijer Honors College.

Interactive installation showcased at Grand Valley State University's Frederik Meijer Honors College