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: 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.

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.