27 Friday May 2022
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This work is from a series of “Guns into Flowers” artworks I started in 2018 after another mass shooting at a school in our country.
Enough is Enough, and we need to demand that Congress pass some common sense gun regulations.
07 Tuesday Apr 2020
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CA, eco-art, gun violence, spring, WEAD Women's Eco Art Dialog, wildflowers, Woodland, Yolo Arts
The photo below shows my art installation”Flower Power” at Yolo Arts in Woodland, CA, on April 6, 2020,and the photo below shows the artwork as installed on March 5, 2020. This installation is meant to change over time with the handmade paper “guns” having seeds for wildflowers in the pulp and transforming the guns into flowers. It’s great to see the power of Nature and signs of Spring and hope in these difficult times. This artwork was installed just before we all were quarantined with the Coronavirus pandemic in California. My outdoor installation for this exhibition of eco-artworks by selected WEAD members is part of an exhibition at the Barn Gallery, Yolo Arts, Woodland, CA, and will be on view indefinitely. There are also links online to see the show virtually. It is great to get the photos and thanks to Janice Purnell, Curator and Creative Director at Yolo Arts. Here is the link to see the show online: https://yoloarts.org/online-galleries/
18 Tuesday Jun 2019
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art installation, ecoart, flower bed, gun violence, handmade paper, natomas charter school, quilt, sculpture installation, transformation, wildflowers
My sculpture installation in Sacramento about the issue of gun violence has completely transformed, and the handmade paper “guns” with seeds for wildflowers in the paper pulp have grown into a living bloom flower bed. The wildflowers that are blooming now in the installation are white cosmos, blue bachelor buttons, Baby’s breath, white linen poppies, and a few red wildflowers including some red poppies and scarlet flax. The white cosmos flowers are really dominating the space now, but the green foliage of this wildflower is very beautiful and almost fern-like. The headboard and footboard we constructed from local branches still seems quite strong. The weather in Sacramento has been cooperative this Spring with some rain, but hot sunny days are expected in the months ahead. Several days it has already been over 100 degrees F.
This installation was done during an artist in residency at Natomas Charter School Academy of Performing and Fine Arts, in Sacramento, from Feb. 25 to March 16, 2019. Art students at the school helped to make the handmade paper quilt and install it on March 16, 2019. The installation is on view for the public at South Natomas Community Center Park in the “poet’s park area. These photos of the transformation were taken by my husband Timothy S. Allen (allentimohotos2.wordpress.com) on June 15, 2019, during a recent visit to Sacramento. These photos show my “Guns into Flowers” installation on March 16, 2019, when it was installed. 
Keep watching this Blog for updated photos and more news about this art project as it continues to change over time.
20 Monday May 2019
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art installation, blooming wildflowers, flower bed, gun violence, handmade paper, quilt, seeds, transformation, wildflowers
My “Guns into Flowers” art installation that was installed on March 16 at South Natomas Community Center Park is starting to bloom. This art installation was created with the participation of art students at Natomas Charter School Academy of Performing and Fine Arts in Sacramento, CA. The installation consists of a handmade paper quilt with a gun motif pattern with seeds for wildflowers in the pulp. The art project raises awareness about gun violence and transforms the “guns” into flowers.
These photos show the first flowers starting to bloom. The weather has been very cooperative in Sacramento this Spring, and the plants are growing fast. We have even had some rare rain storms in May. These photos were taken on Friday, March 17 by Timothy S. Allen (http://allentimphotos2.wordpress.com)
Keep checking this Blog for more photos as the installation continues to change and the handmade paper “guns” transform into living blooming flowers.
A big thank you to the art teachers as Natomas Charter School, Jim Vetter and Chelsea Greninger, and to all the art students at the school who helped to make the quilt squares and borders for this project that I did during a three-weeks artist in residency at the school from Feb. 25 to March 17, 2019.
10 Friday May 2019
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California, gun violence, guns, handmade paper, natomas charter school, public art installation, quilt, sacramento, seeds for wildflowers, south natomas community center
It is great to see these photos of my public artwork “Guns into Flowers” that is sited at South Natomas Community Center Park, Sacramento, California. This project was done in cooperation with Natomas Charter School Academy of Performing and Fine Arts, during a 3 -week artist-in-residency during February and March. It was installed on March 16, 2019. The seeds in the handmade paper quilt are for wildflowers in the same colors and pattern, and the handmade paper quilt has a gun motif to transform those “guns” into flowers in a few more months. One of the students that I worked with at the school is continuing to take photos of the artwork as it changes over time. It is great to have the photos to continue documenting this piece, and I will continue to post them as I receive them. These photos were received on May 1, 2019, and I am sure they will be sending more photos soon. There has been only a little rain in Sacramento, and the people there have also been watering the quilt to help the seeds germinate and the seedings grow. Thanks to everyone for all the help.
13 Wednesday Mar 2019
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gun violence, guns into flowers, handmade paper, natomas charter school, Performing and Fine Arts Academy, sacramento, seeds in the pulp, south natomas community center, wildflowers
The “Guns into Flowers” public art installation will begin at 2PM on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at South Natomas Community Center Park, 2921 Truxel Road, Sacramento, California.
Sponsors for this art project include Natomas Arts and Education Foundation, N Magazine, City of Sacramento, Natomas Charter School, Natomas Charter School PFAF, Edward L. Anderson Jr. Foundation, and the Arts Engagement Foundation of Kansas City.
This art project has been created by artist Jane Ingram Allen and students at Natomas Charter School, Performing and Fine Arts Academy, during a three-week artist in residency from Feb. 25 to March 16, 2019. Read more about this art project and see photos from earlier posts on this blog. Photos are by Timothy S. Allen.
Check back to see how the handmade paper quilt with seeds in the pulp changes over time into living blooming wildflowers. It is hoped that this project will raise awareness about gun violence and create more public dialogue about possibilities for change.
28 Thursday Feb 2019
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environmental art, gun violence, natomas charter school, papermaking, quilt, sacramento, seeds, south natomas community center, wildflowers
I started working as a visiting artist in residence on Monday, Feb. 25, at Natomas Charter School in Sacramento, CA. I am creating an outdoor public art installation titled “Guns into Flowers” with the students to raise awareness about gun violence in our schools and communities. We are making a handmade paper quilt with a gun motif and seeds for wildflowers in the pulp to transform the guns into flowers over time as the paper pulp dissolves into compost, and the seeds begin to sprout and grow into blooming flowers. Here is a photo of some of the students learning about papermaking and getting introduced to the project at Natomas Charter School Academy of Performing and Fine Arts. Photos to document the project are by Timothy S. Allen. Keep watching this Blog to see more photos and follow the progress as we continue with papermaking workshops this week and next to make the quilt squares. The official opening ceremony and laying down of the “quilt” will be on Saturday, March 16 at 2PM in the park at South Natomas Community Center, Sacramento, CA.
14 Monday Jan 2019
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Tags
gun violence, guns into flowers, handmade paper, natomas charter school, public art, quilt, sacramento, seeds, south natomas community center, wildflowers
During a 3-week artist-in-residency (February 25 – March 16, 2019) in Sacramento, CA at Natomas Charter School (http://www.natomascharter.org,) artist Jane Ingram Allen will create an outdoor public art installation titled “Guns into Flowers”. The art project aims to raise awareness about gun violence and initiate public dialogue about possibilities for change. The art project will result in the creation of an outdoor sculpture installation consisting of a “flower bed” and a handmade paper quilt with a pattern of gun shapes and having seeds for wildflowers in the paper pulp to transform over time into living blooming wildflowers in the same colors and pattern.
Jane and Natomas Charter School Visual Arts teachers Jim Vetter and Chelsea Greninger
Jane standing at site for “Guns into Flowers” installation at South Natomas Community Center, Sacramento, CA.
Jim Vetter, Chelsea Greninger and Jane Ingram Allen at South Natomas Community Center, Sacramento, choosing site for “Guns into Flowers” installation.
Jane meeting with Natomas Charter School teachers, principal and Sacramento officials to plan the “Guns Into Flowers” art project
Jane and Chelsea Greninger, Natomas Charter School Visual Arts teacher hold a prototype for a quilt square for the Guns into Flowers art project. Natomas Charter School Principal Dr. Ting Sun and visual arts teacher Jim Vetter and Donald Gensler with Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission look on.
Jane meets at Natomas Charter School in the visual arts studio room to plan the “Guns into Flowers” art project in Sacramento.
The handmade paper quilt will be created by student participants working with the artist in “open studio” papermaking workshops at the Natomas Charter School, Performing and Fine Arts Academy (grades 6-12). The quilt blocks will be created with stencils in the handmade paper sheet-forming process and individualized by each participant. The “Guns into Flowers” handmade paper quilt will be installed on a raised “flower bed” about 8 feet x 10 feet x 8 inches high with a headboard and footboard woven by the artist and participants using local trimmed tree branches. The handmade paper quilt will gradually dissolve into mulch over several weeks or months as the wildflower seeds in the pulp begin to sprout and grow, transforming the ”guns” into flowers.
The public art installation will be created in a public park at South Natomas Community Center and coordinated with city and park representatives. The public opening and installation ceremony for the “Guns into Flowers” project will be at 2PM, Saturday, March 16, 2019 at the site, South Natomas Community Center, 2921 Truxel Road. Sacramento, CA. “Guns into Flowers” will transform over time following the natural cycle of life and emphasize working together for social and environmental change.
Check this Blog often for continuing updates on this public art project. All photos on this Blog are by Timothy S. Allen (alltentimphotos2.wordoress.com)
Jane Ingram Allen Art Projects 