Individual Artist Project Grant FY21

My community is stretched between South Minneapolis and Grand Marais, two places I love and wish to be engaged in. In this project, I feel it is important to hear the voices of both communities. Minneapolis, dramatically affected by the killing of George Floyd and civil unrest and Grand Marais, a place removed, yet affected by the many challenges of 2020. There have been consistent weekly gatherings in Grand Marais in support of Black Lives Matter, an important gathering of support during a time of covid isolation. It has been an unprecedented challenging year in so many ways, beginning with George Floyd's killing, Covid, political divide, the election, climate change etc. I hope that these murals may be a place for people to contemplate the last year, consider our past, our present and what we wish for the future. Through the felting of these symbols, which is a quiet meditative process of unique transformation, people may breathe a sigh of relief, feel togetherness and be lightened with a sense of hope and possibility. The murals are a medium to consider the three words: HEALING, DREAMING, BUILDING and how it relates to them. I hope everyone involved will experience the joyful transformation of making something beautiful with wool. I also hope people feel free to express themselves, be heard and come together to create a project of healing and hope. The process of the project is as important as the goal of three powerfully visual murals. I wish to offer a creative way to process the psychological and physical challenges of 2020 by bringing people together to make a tangible, visual story through colorful wool. The many small symbolic felted items made by many, will be fused together through cooperative felting action, creating a beautiful expression of challenge and hope. Participation in the felting workshops from a variety of ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, rural and urban, would be a measure of success. My goal of at least 100 symbols created by 100 people and 3 felted murals is the tangible success. Personally I wish to empower others to create something positive of beauty and hope. I am always thrilled to share the magic of wool felting with others and provide an uncommon art medium to people of all ages and backgrounds. Through facilitating community murals I have experienced the joy of bringing people together, giving them the tools and opportunity to create something larger than one person can accomplish. I am infatuated with the excitement of creative, community projects. I am an enthusiastic, welcoming teacher and artist that has 15 years experience teaching people of all ages and skills. I create an environment of safe creativity where people can express themselves. In the final months of my artist residency at North House Folk School, I am focusing my attention and effort to organize and facilitate the Felted Murals as my final project because I wish to share my love of wool with others, and I'd like to bring people together through art during a time of so many challenges and isolation. I am fortunate to have a workspace and the support of North House Folk School for this project through July 2021. Community Participation is the best sign of a successful project. 1. Six community workshops within Grand Marais and Minneapolis, creating at least 100 symbols for the three murals. It is the process of sharing the wonder of felting wool with others, while allowing them to contemplate the last year, move forward and create something larger and more meaningful than what can be done alone. 2. Providing an environment that brings people together through creative, thoughtful play with wool. Sharing the tangible process of transforming wool through community agitation and effort is a poignant analogy for our times. It is only through patience and extreme effort that wool fibers bond together permanently to create something that is durable and not easily destroyed, by fire, water, wind. 3. Three murals that are beautifully e