ARISE:
A Community Project
About the Project
This interactive public art project invites members of the community to participate in creating a shared symbol of hope and peace.
Participants are given a waterproof paper feather and invited to write or draw a message that reflects their wish for the world, their community, or for one another. Each feather is then gathered to be placed onto one of two large canvas panels.
Over time, this collection of messages, wisdom, and imagery created by many individual feathers begins to form something larger: two wings made entirely from the voices of the community.
The two canvas panels the wings are mounted to will be installed on a wall a foot apart so people can stand between them to have their photograph taken as a messenger of hope, which repeats each time the photo is shared.
How It Works
Each feather represents a single voice, story, or intention.
1. Take a feather.
2. Write or draw a message that represents hope or peace.
3. Return your feather to be placed on the canvas.
The Meaning
A single feather is light and fragile, but when feathers gather together, wings emerge.
In the same way, peace is not created by one person alone. It grows through the collective voices, kindness, and intentions of many. And we are reminded of something simple but powerful: We cannot fly with a single feather, but only by joining with others.
Please join us in creating an artwork that becomes a living record of hope carried by our community — with this gathering of small messages, we rise together.
Get Started
ARISE in an invitation to help hope take flight. For help with what to write on your feather think about what activities inspire you, the name of a loved one, what you love about the Earth/ universe, or a favorite word. Or, doodle a message and draw a favorite design – or both!
About hope
Something inside of me broke (free?) last night after watching footage of the Marine being broken as he was forcibly removed for protesting the US-Israeli War against Iran during a Capitol Hill hearing .
Hope, that infamous “thing with feathers’, as Emily Dickinson wrote, feels less like a bird sheltering in my chest and more like a smoldering bonfire.
Hope is crying in the dark until snot drips from your nose, it’s kneeling in the muck, it’s being kicked when you’re already down, and still getting up.
Hope is brutally hard. It’s against all odds, its standing on the side of the little guy against the bully, it’s the dark horse no one bet on, it’s the courage to stand when you know that means you’ll probably take more hits. It’s lighting a candle with your last match, when you know it could extinguish any moment.
That’s hope. Brutal, and brave and full of fight, but even more than that, at its foundation, hope is love - for a thing, an idea, a person, yourself.
Hope is a guide and protector, a guardian against the darkness that threatens to swallow us whole. It’s standing for something when you realize that the “good guys” were never good, and the zealots never transcended.
Hope is the bridge you build by opening your arms in the chaos, bending in the hurricane, sheltering in the storm. It’s a ‘thing’ that can never be completely extinguished.
And when this most resilient and fierce light flickers, we must stir the embers in ourselves, ignite the bonfire on the cliff once again for others caught in rough, black waters.
Because this mighty and magnificent light reaches far and touches all who witness it.
Join Arise
The More The Merrier!
When people hear about Arise they want to participate, and this makes me happy! Unfortunately, many live outside of my community and I cannot afford to keep up with shipping costs.
To help simplify the process, I created an easy way to sign up to receive features and help cover materials, shipping and handling.
How It Works:
ORDER
WRITE
RETURN
Once you choose to participate in Arise, I mail you an envelope containing the project description, print of the poem About Hope and a selection of handmade, painted feathers on die-cut , waterproof paper.
When you receive your set of feathers, you or your group, write a hopeful word or phrase on them with a marker (paint pens work best and a list of preferred markers are listed below in the next section.) Feel free to doodle, too!
We ask that you keep your messages positive and kid-friendly since the art will be mounted in a public space.)
Once complete, place the feathers between the protective cover inside the prepaid envelope, seal and mail.
When I receive them back, each feather is installed on the wings of Arise, becoming a permanent part of the artwork.
To receive feathers for personal use or a group, please fill out the form below.
Be sure to sign up for the newsletter to follow project updates
If you'd like more than 30 feathers for your group project or business, please reach out to me via the contact page or at contact@byjenn.com so we can discuss options.
Thank you!
Arise Is An Excellent Project For:
Schools
Camps
Community Centers
Charitable Outreach Programs
Group Homes
Nursing/ Rehab Clinics
Wellness Centers
Hospitals
Farmers Markets/ Festivals
WANT TO HOST ARISE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?
Here’s how to create the entire project in your town.
Ingredients:
Sizzix Feather Die Cut
The original Tim Holz (Bigz/ 660237) die I use has been discontinued. The following may be options. Please check and verify sizes to be sure they will work for you before ordering.
Precut feathers (these are paper and indoor use only)
Markers: acrylic paint-based markers work best, like Posca Pens
Adhesive (select based on preference for permanent bond or temporary hold, i.e. silicone caulk, glue gun, PVA glue, adhesive dots)
When you host Arise, we ask that you please share a link to this page as attribution and use #Arise when posting on social media.
Please share your photos with us at contact@byjenn.com for us to post too!