Three of my prayer flags are flying high at the Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside, California. The CALL TO ARTISTS of the OMA PRAYER FLAG PROJECT created a display of prayer flags that will greet all visitors as they enter the gallery from October 14 through December 31, 2012.
Fiber artists were invited to design a unique flag made of fabric and other materials that reflects their current and future hopes and dreams. I have been flying Tibetan prayer flags since the 1980's and creating my own for the past 10 years.
Most of them have been placed outside to share my prayers through the journey of the winds, the rain, and the snow from my island home in Alaska to my current one in Oregon. Please open each prayer flag to see them close-up and to view my original poetry/prayer blessings on the backs.
With prayers endlessly needed for my immediate family..my mother in her 8th year of Advanced Alzheimers' being cared for, at different times, by all 5 of her children in our childhood home in Douglas (Island) Alaska, for my almost 97 year old mother-in-law, now in hospice with advanced bone cancer, for my brother who survived 2 1/2 months in a coma as I have followed him through 3 states and 5 hospitals for the past 5 months, to his wife, my SIL who is in end stage kidney failure and needing a rare form of an O+ kidney transplant...well, I am endlessly praying and endlessly hanging up even the simplest strips of fabric outside on my prayer arch for my personal causes.
But my prayers are always for a larger and greater purpose than my individual ones, so as I designed my three submissions for this project, I wanted themes that represented the unheard voices of the many. Using my own painted and stamped fabrics, and using some favorite quotes for the front of my flags, I added my own prayers in poetic form to the labels on the back to tie in with the quotations on each of the fronts..
It is a blessing to know that they were flying above the museum visitors when the exhibit opened on October 14, and that they were in use, and manifesting good will during all of the hard and challenging days of Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy, this past week.
My thoughts and prayers go out from West to East, as I share my thoughts and prayers with all of you.
Other recent and associated links:
Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares a quilting journey through her life in Salem, Oregon and Douglas, Alaska and all of her AAQI Quilting. Sharing thousands of links to Free Quilt and Quilt Block Patterns and encouraging others to join in the Liberated Quilting Challenge and make or donate small art quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) Help us change the world, one little quilt at a time!
8 comments:
Michelle, I have been following this exhibit on the Prayer Flag Project. I didn't realize you had flags in it. Wonderful! As always, prayers being sent your way for your family. Sue in mid Mi
Thank you so very, very much Sue! Did you send any in?
They are wonderful! I love how creative you are and how many things you contribute to!
As usual, your creations have a personal and universal meaning. I love your flags, Michelle! Wonderful contributions to the exhibit!
Beautiful! Love your poems too!
Wonderful! I love prayer flags. You make me wish and want to try some, myself. Thank you for sharing,
Hugs and healing to you and your family, Michelle! Love your prayer flags.
What beautiful prayer flags, with such special prayers that they represent. I so truly hope and pray that they are answered, as well as that you are given strength and encouragement to continue to be their to support your family and friends in need of such prayers.
I haven't yet been to this exhibit, but hope to go soon. I look forward to seeing your Prayer Flags flying where they will touch the hearts and prayers of many that get an opportunity to see them and add to your prayers. I'm so glad that yours are part of this exhibit.
SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
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