Prayer Flags – Dayna J Collins

Flags of Hope

Back in 2014 I was invited to participate in a pilot program between the Salem Art Association and the Salem Cancer Institute. I taught my Embellishing a Soft Cloth Doll that first year, then last year I taught three sessions in visual journaling. Over the past couple of weeks I taught two sessions of making prayer flags, calling the class Flags of Hope.

Creating prayer flags came out of a project I facilitated the summer of 2014 through the Salem Art Association’s Project Space. I wrote several blog posts about it at that time, which can be read by clicking here. After the success of that project, I led a similar project last year at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility, and now, on occasion, I offer mini workshops on creating flags, which is how these flags were created.

The Flags of Hope project was held in the reception area of Building C at Salem Hospital, a lovely, comfortable space where patients and caregivers can relax with a latte, work on a puzzle, color a mandala, or read a magazine.

I always come away from these classes feeling blessed, humbled, and honored, as the women who take these classes are either in the middle of cancer treatment, just finishing treatment, or have gone through it in the past. Here are some photos of the flags being created over the past couple of weeks.

During this week’s session, a cancer survivor was chatting with a woman who just finished up chemo. Her hair is starting to come back in, but she revealed she wasn’t feeling very pretty. The woman who battled cancer in the past, stepped over and began encouraging and sharing her experience with this woman, affirming to her how beautiful she is and how it gets better. The painting of prayer flags was a lovely respite from the treatment, but the beauty for me was witnessing the human connection of two women being able to talk about a shared experience.

Another woman, who came in late, finished up as I was putting supplies away. She said, “This is so therapeutic for me. I needed this. I live with the fear of wondering if my cancer will return.” This is her flag:

The flags from the two classes will be on display at the hospital on Wednesday, June 8, during the National Cancer Survivors Day celebration.

Scattered By the Wind: Teaching at Hillcrest

Last September, my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project came to a close. The project was sponsored by Salem Art Association through their Project Space program. If interested, you can read about the 2014 summer project by clicking here.

One of the outcomes of my project was that we raised over $2,000 by selling flags, and that money, along with grant money obtained by Salem Art Association, allowed me to buy supplies and go into Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility to guide the incarcerated young men in creating a series of prayer flags. I invited my good friend Tory Brokenshire to join me in weekly visits to Hillcrest.

Because cameras and phones are not allowed inside the secure facility, we had to rely on a corrections officer to snap a few photos of the sessions. Also, without permission and authorizations, we weren’t able to take photos of any of the guys.

Tory and I did two session per week for eight weeks and the guys created 82 flags!

Here are a few close ups of flags…..

In the middle of our residency at Hillcrest, Salem Art Association held their Young Artists Showcase and they asked that some of the flags created by the Hillcrest boys be featured. It was exciting to have so many flags on display at the Bush Barn Gallery.

Last Thursday, Tory and I went into the facility’s canteen and hung the 82 flags. Again, our photos are limited due to not having phones or cameras inside (we were tempted to smuggle in a phone as we felt a bit naked without one!).

On Thursday evening, the community, family, friends, along with the guys, were invited to view the flags.

A nice spread of food was prepared by the manager of the canteen and a group of boys to celebrate the show. A few parents showed up and several groups of guys came through. One young man, who came every week to make a flag, had his mother and grandparents attend. He was so excited to share his flags, including the pink poodle he created. When he created that flag, under the theme of things found in nature (what!?!?), he said, “I can’t wait to give this flag to my grandma.”

PS The Oregon Youth Authority had a professional photographer attend the reception and he shot some amazing photos of the flags and the guys. If I’m able to obtain a few of those photos, I’ll post them here.

Scattered By the Wind: Final Post

My Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project has come to an end. I submitted my proposal to the Salem Art Association in March and in May learned that my project had been selected for Project Space. I did my first blog post about the project on May 27th, and then offered regular updates throughout the summer. I didn’t know what to expect when I started, but it sure took on a life of its own and exceeded any expectations. When I submitted my proposal, selling the flags wasn’t even part of the plan. One thing led to another, and three months later, the project has come to a close.

THE FINAL NUMBERS . . . . . .

Flags mailed or handed out: 165

Flags distributed at Project Space: 33

Total flags distributed in one way or another: 198

Received back from those distributed: 164

Flags created at Project Space venue: 116

Flag-making sessions: 6

First Wednesday events where flags were created: 2

Special flag-making sessions: 2

Made by me: 28

TOTAL FLAGS RECEIVED AND HUNG: 308

Flags sold through Facebook and at venues for $10 each: 169

Flags sold at other venues at reduced price of $5 each: 33

Special donations made to the project: $400

TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED FOR HILLCREST YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY: $2,255.

The final piece was deciding what to do with the flags that did not sell – and there are still lots of beautiful flags. Several suggestions were made, everything from flying the flags outside to allow them to disintegrate in the wind, to tucking them away for selling in the future. I’ve decided to send them on their way to another project, a project that was inspired by this one. The flags will be going to SARC, where my daughter Amy works. Here’s information on how this project continues to be scattered by the wind.

The Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC) is a non-profit organization founded by two sexual assault survivors in 1977. SARC operates 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. SARC is funded through government grants, foundations, and private donations. Our mission is to promote social justice by eliminating sexual violence in our community through education, support and advocacy.

For the past five years SARC’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) program has worked diligently to meet the individual and systemic needs of sexually exploited youth in Multnomah and Washington Counties by providing a victim-centered approach through our 24-hour emergency response advocates and long-term support case managers. To date we have served over 450 unduplicated teens find safe and secure shelter, gain access to physical and mental health care services, procure clothing and hygiene supplies, re-establish educational plans, build job skills, and through the process build a community of caring and supportive individuals who help the youth move towards their dreams.

Flags are being sold for $10 each, with proceeds going to SARC’s CSEC Prevention Program, a program that works to end exploitation of children, before it begins.

To Teach or Not to Teach: I Say TEACH

To teach or not to teach. I used to teach quite a bit, then I took a year and half hiatus to focus on my art. The time away from teaching allowed me to dedicate more time to creating my own style of painting, and I’m glad I temporarily stepped away from teaching. But I’ve been feeling the urge to teach again. I’ll be teaching a plaster, oil and cold wax class later this month in Gig Harbor to a closed, private, group of artists. I’ll also be teaching my Layers of Memory plaster class next May in southern California (details on that will be shared later). And I’m ready to begin teaching regularly in Salem.

My good art friend Tory and I recently leased studio space with a group of artists at Mission Mill (Willamette Heritage Center) and there are two common areas that will be available for offering classes. I’m in. But what to teach? That’s where I’m seeking input. For those who know me or have taken classes from me in the past, what would you like to see offered? If you don’t know me and have never had a class from me, what would interest you? Here are some ideas that I’ve been thinking about.

Layers of Memory
Working with plaster to create texture and interest.

Oil and Cold Wax: Abstracted Play
Creating abstract pieces using oil and cold wax.

Oil and Cold Wax with a Punch of Plaster
A combination of both the plaster workshop and then the addition of oil and cold wax workshop (this is how most of my pieces of are created).

Visual Journals
Building a journal from scratch, then incorporating visual journal techniques on the pages.

Visual Journal in a Deck
A couple years ago I created a visual journal using oversized flash cards. This class would go from prep to art on the gessoed cards, incorporating a variety of techniques and prompts.

Prayer Flags
I’ve just finished a summer of creating and overseeing the creation of prayer flags through my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project. This class would be basically a time to create a personal strand of prayer flags.

Art Dolls
Why not be a kid again. Paint and embellish a tall, skinny muslin Bendi doll.

Please let me know what class or classes you would be interested in and I’ll put together a schedule of classes. Contact me with your thoughts: dayna@daynajcollins.com/curele.

Is there something else you would like to see me teach? Let me know that, too.

Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour Returns

After a year hiatus, the Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour has returned. This is a self-guided public tour of local artist studios in Marion and Polk Counties. The tour is Saturday and Sunday, September 13-14, from 10:00 am-4:00 pm. More information is available about the tour on the website. There are 19 artist studios on the tour and the cost is only $5 for both days and all the studios. Tickets can be purchased at the Art Department, Bush Barn, and from all tour artists.

I participated in this event in both 2011 and 2012, both times when I was in my previous studio. For this event, you’ll have the opportunity to see my upstairs painting studio, my basement assemblage studio, and you’ll have the opportunity to buy art. I’ll have old as well as new oil and cold wax paintings, Funky Junkyard Birds, greetings cards, prints, reproductions of Fearless Faces, and dozens of new Curious Elements.

Limited edition giclee prints of this original oil and cold wax painting, "Spotted With Crimson," will be available for the first time. — Limited edition giclee prints of this original oil and cold wax painting, “Spotted With Crimson,” will be available for the first time.

In addition to all this art goodness, there will be one final opportunity to support my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project and purchase prayer flags at half price: only $5 each, with proceeds from the sale of the flags going to art programming at Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility.

During the studio tour, I’m also having a studio SALE. Everything will be reduced in some way, with some things being marked down as much as 50%.

16x20 canvas reproductions of Fearless Faces, regularly $80, will be on sale for half price. Only $40 each. — 16×20 canvas reproductions of Fearless Faces, regularly $80, will be on sale for half price. Only $40 each.

Oil and cold wax block sets were $45, will be on sale for half price at $22.

I hope you’ll stop by my artful home on Saturday and Sunday and experience three floors of art. My sister will be on hand to greet you, serve you a snack and cold drink, and assist you with purchases. My husband will be in the basement to show you my downstairs found object and assemblage studio (be sure and have him open cabinets and drawers for you), and I’ll be upstairs to share my oil and cold wax painting process.

Questions? Contact me via e-mail: dayna@daynajcollins.com/curele.

PS I’m hoping to have a “Square” in place to take debit and credit cards, but cash is always preferred and appreciated.

Scattered By the Wind: Not Quite the Final Post

I was going to make this my final post and update on my Scattered By the Wind Prayer Flag Project, but flags are still flying and being sold. Last Wednesday was the final reception and it was a huge success. Over 300 flags were hanging at the Project Space venue; by the time the reception ended at 8:00 pm, we had sold a total of 50 flags, which, when added to the 107 that had previously sold, totals 157 sold flags. Generous people have also been donating cash to the project, and that money is still coming in. I’ll share the final results of the project in a couple of weeks. Finally, I’m happy to share that there are two more opportunities for people to purchase flags (details at the end of this post). For now, I want to share photos from the First Wednesday final reception at Project Space.

My excellent crew of helpers: Spencer, Debra, and Tory. Howard was also helping, probably on a ladder attaching a red dot!

Howard in his element, surrounded by women artists!

The past two days I’ve been sorting the sold flags, packaging them for personal delivery, or preparing them to mail.

The good news is there are two more opportunities to purchase flags. The first is this coming Sunday, September 7, 12-4 pm in downtown Salem. The Salem Art Association will have a booth at the Salem Sunday Streets event and the remaining Scattered By the Wind flags will be available there.

The other opportunity will be the weekend of September 13-14th, from 10-4, when my studio will be on the Willamette Valley Open Studio Tour. I’ll be posting details about that in my next post.

Scattered By the Wind: Prayer Flag Project

I was juried in as a participant of Salem Art Association’s Project Space and I’m excited to share what I’ve chosen to do. But first, a bit about Project Space and then details about my project.

The Project

Project Space is Salem Art Association’s dynamic, temporary and contemporary non-commercial art initiative, which offers artists a place for experimental art and interaction with the Salem community. Open June 3 to September 5, 2014, this year’s program will include openings on four First Wednesdays starting in June in addition to other receptions, performances and events.

My Project

I have long been intrigued by prayer flags and it is my intention to create a series of prayer flags, experimenting with various mediums and ideas, including repetition, painting, embellishments, words, themes, color, composition, and journaling. The tradition of Tibetan prayer flags dates back thousands of years. Traditional flags were stamped with prayers, mantras, and symbols then hung and left to flutter in the breeze, spreading wishes for happiness, long life, and prosperity.

Community Involvement

Along with my series of prayer flags, I’m inviting the community to join me in creating flags. This will be accomplished by invitation, requesting a flag, or by attending one of my open community days. Using fabric, paint, texture, images, and words, I will provide everything you need to create a prayer flag that will be strung with others to create strands of community flags that will be displayed at the Project Space venue on September 3. Community sessions will be held from 12-3 on the following dates:

Saturday, July 12

Tuesday, July 15

Thursday, July 24

Tuesday, August 5

Saturday, August 9

Thursday, August 14

All of these sessions will be held on the second floor of Liberty Plaza in downtown Salem.

Behind the Scenes

In preparation for creating all of these prayer flags, I had to cut and rip lots of fabric . . . . and I had to dig out my sewing machine and learn how to use it. Thank heavens it came with a DVD.

I became pretty proficient at sewing straight seams.

I have 131 flags all ready to be arted up.

Private Flags

In order to involve as many people as possible, I have put together personal prayer flag kits. The kit includes a piece of muslin cloth that can be embellished any way you want. There are no parameters, no limitations, nothing that is off limits. You can paint, use rubber stamps, write with felt pens, glue or sew on fabric scraps, add embellishments (buttons, ribbons, jewels . . . .). It is my hope that you will play and have fun creating a flag.

In the kit, I will include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for mailing your prayer flag back to me. I’ll need your flag no later than Friday, August 15, so I have time to string the flags together. Send me an e-mail if you would like to participate (dayna@alleyartstudio.com). I’ll be making a list of everyone who joins in, which I’ll have on display at the unveiling and reception on Wednesday, September 3.