Pamela's Story
My work as a social practice artist started with my dad teaching me how to draw by sketching on dinner napkins. Decades later, my art shifted from individual paintings to community-based work. These new, responsive projects inspire social change and explore new ways to foster community through brief but meaningful experiences for individuals and groups.
For example, the hands-on Broken Wings installation addresses school violence by inviting individuals to attach handwritten promises of kindness onto colorful paper chains. The visual imagery of thousands of linked notes increases the participants' sense of connection with others. My collaborative work invites people to become part of the solution by addressing social issues, such as letting go, bullying, sex trafficking, or PTSD. Each healing space prompts resilience and hope.
Would you like to bring awareness and healing to your group or community through one of Pamela's collaborative projects or explore possibilities for your own commissioned art? Contact Pamela.
Pamela's Bio
Selected Solo Exhibitions
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2022
The Connections Project, Duke Gallery, Azusa Pacific University; Azusa, California.
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2021
Yellow Ribbon on the Bridge, Eberhard Center, Grand Valley State University; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2019
Cut Short, Village Arts Factory; Canton, Michigan.
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2017
The Scarlet Cord, Manasseh Project #StopThisTraffic Conference, Meijer Gardens; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2016
The Scarlet Cord, Grand Valley State University; Allendale, Michigan.
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2015
Courage Ablaze, Michigan State University; East Lansing, Michigan.
The Scarlet Cord, Acton Institute; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Scarlet Cord, Roosevelt Row; Phoenix, Arizona.
Courage Ablaze, Van Singel Fine Arts Center; Byron Center, Michigan. -
2014
Courage Ablaze, Cornerstone University; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2013
Healing Reflections, University Club; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2012
Healing Reflections, The Hartley Center; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2011
Healing Reflections, Bruce and Mary Leep Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2010
Healing Reflections, Sky Walk Gallery, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin; Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Guest Artist Series, St Mary's Health Care; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Selected Group Exhibitions
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2022
Dreams, ArtPrize, Veterans Memorial Park; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2021
Yellow Ribbon, ArtPrize, Veterans Memorial Park; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Family Favorite Prize Prize Winner).
Healing Imprint, The Progress Gallery; Pomona, California. -
2020
Red Jeans Redemption, Azusa Pacific University; Azusa Pacific, California.
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2018
Broken Wings, ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Public Museum; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 25 Finalist).
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2017
Let Go, ArtPrize, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 25 Finalist).
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2016
Hometown Hero II, Reflections of Generosity, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Color Me Orange—Color Me Kind, ArtPrize, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 25 Finalist). -
2015
Hometown Hero, ArtPrize, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 20 Finalist and 3rd Place Winner).
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2014
The Scarlet Cord, ArtPrize, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 25 Finalist).
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2013
Wing and a Prayer, ArtPrize, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 50 Finalist).
Sabina, Women's Works, Northwest Area Arts Council; Woodstock, Illinois (First Place Award Winner). -
2012
Courage Ablaze, ArtPrize, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; Grand Rapids, Michigan (Top 100 Finalist).
Love, Grand Valley State University Women's Center; Allendale, Michigan. -
2011
Braving the Wind, ArtPrize, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Stillness, 35th National Exhibition; Transparent Watercolor Society of America, Kenosha Public Museum; Kenosha, Wisconsin. -
2010
Woman in Red, ArtPrize, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Companions, 110th Philadelphia Water Color Society International Exhibition; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. -
2009
Intent, National Juried Art Exhibition; Hilton Head, South Carolina.
Companions, ArtPrize, Open Concepts Gallery; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Selected Collaborations
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2022
Yellow Ribbon at the White Caps with [Has Heart]; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Yellow Ribbon at Armed Forces Thanksgiving with [Has Heart]; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Voices with Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency, Kent County Veterans Services, and [Has Heart]; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Broken Wings with PBS's Wimee's Words at Festival of the Arts; Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2021
The Yellow Ribbon Project at the Grand Rapids Tree Lighting Ceremony with [Has Heart]; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Yellow Ribbon Project at SteelCase with [Has Heart]; Athens, Alabama.
Yellow Ribbon on the Bridge with Kent County Veterans Services, Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency, [Has Heart], and ArtPrize; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Stories with Youth For Christ and MDV Housing, LLC; Kalamazoo, Michigan. -
2020
Let Go with the Kent County Prosecutor's Victim Witness Unit; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Yellow Ribbon with Kent County Veteran Services and the veteran community; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Broken Wings No. 7 with Big Rapids Public Schools, Mecosta-Osceola Career Center, and Evergreen Terrace Assisted Living; Big Rapids, Michigan. -
2019
Broken Wings No. 2 with Girls Court of Michigan, 17th Circuit Court Family Division, and PlexiCase Inc; Grand Rapids, Michigan,
Broken Wings No. 3, 4, and 5 with Breton Woods Independent Living Facilities; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Wings of Hope with Pine Grove Learning Center; Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Frames Unlimited; Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2017
The Scarlet Cord installation with Saugatuck High School students; Saugatuck, Michigan.
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2016
The Scarlet Cord Film with Judge Patricia Gardner; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2015
The Scarlet Cord Film Premiere and Sex Trafficking Panel with Women At Risk International, Grand Rapids Public Museum; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Scarlet Cord installation with StreetLightUSA; Phoenix, Arizona. -
2014
The Scarlet Cord installation with Women At Risk International; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Scarlet Cord Audio Collage with Shared Hope International; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Selected Curatorial and Exhibition Design
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2022
Wimee's Dreams exhibit at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum, in collaboration with Wimee.TV; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Voices veteran artist exhibit, hosted by Veterans Memorial Park for ArtPrize, in collaboration with Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, Kent County Veterans Services, and [Has Heart]; Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2021
Voices veteran artist exhibit, hosted by Veterans Memorial Park for ArtPrize, in collaboration with Kent County Veterans Services and [Has Heart]; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Selected Teaching Experience
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2021-22
Adjunct Professor, Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2020-22
Artist facilitator, Kent County Veterans Services; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2017-21
Artist facilitator, Girls Court of Michigan, 17th Circuit Court Family Division; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2019
Artist facilitator, Holland Home; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2016
Lyceum instructor, Grand Rapids Museum School; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Selected Presentations
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2022
“Yellow Ribbon Project,” Toyota Lunch and Learn event with [Has Heart], Salinus, Michigan.
“The Scarlet Cord: Awareness and Healing,” Empire High School; Vail, Arizona.
“Voices,” Kent County Veterans Services ArtPrize Gala; Eberhard Center, Grand Valley State University; Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2021
“Yellow Ribbon Project,” Leadership Grand Rapids with [Has Heart], Grand Rapid Chamber; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Yellow Ribbon Project,” SteelCase Curious Minds event with [Has Heart], Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Art Mysteries,” CIVA Conference, St. David's Episcopal Church; Austin, Texas.
“Voices,” ArtPrize opening program, Veterans Memorial Park; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“An Artist's Story,” Cornerstone University; Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2020
“Artist Without Borders,” Southwest Baptist University; Bolivar, Missouri.
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2019
“Resilient Wings,” Girls Court of Michigan, 17th Circuit Court Family Division, Kent County Courthouse; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2017
“The Scarlet Cord,” Manasseh Project #StopThisTraffic Conference, Meijer Gardens; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Healing in Arts,” Noontime Series, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2016
“Healing in Arts,” Q Commons, Ladies Literary Club of Calvin College; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“A Legacy of Hope,” Defense Suicide Prevention Office, Pentagon; Washington D.C.
“Healing in Arts,” International Culture Care, Fuller Theological Seminary; Pasadena, California. -
2015
“Courage Ablaze: The Women and Children of Congo,” Residential College of Arts and Humanities, Michigan State University; East Lansing, Michigan.
“The Scarlet Cord,” Acton Institute; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Healing in Arts,” International Culture Care Summit, Cairn University, Langhorne, Pennsylvania. -
2014
“Courage Ablaze,” Grand Rapids Community College; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2013
“Healing Power of Art,” Grand Rapids Public Museum; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Selected Permanent Collections
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2021
Kent County Veterans Services; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2020
Kent County Courthouse; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2019
Village Arts Factory; Canton, Michigan.
The Montessori School; Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Holland Home; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Silver Star Apartments; Kalamazoo, Michigan. -
2018
Wolverine Building Group; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Culture Care Inc.; Pasadena, California. -
2016
Warriors Heart; San Antonio, Texas.
Bethany Refugee and Immigrant Services, Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2015
Hope Network for Autism; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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2014
Ronald McDonald House Charities; Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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2013
D.A. Blodgett and St. John's Home; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Children's Hospital; Boston, Massachusetts. -
2012
Lurie Children's Hospital; Chicago, Illinois.
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2011
American Mission Hospital; Manama, Bahrain.
Children's Hospital; Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Children's Hospital; St. Paul, Minnesota.
Seattle Children's Hospital; Seattle, Washington. -
2010
American Cancer Society Hope Lodge; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Children's Hospital; Denver, Colorado.
Children's Hospital; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital; Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Rady Children's Hospital; San Diego, California.
Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital; Cleveland, Ohio.
The Heart and Vascular Center at Metro Health; Grand Rapids, Michigan. -
2009
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital; Grand Rapids, Michigan.
