Well it’s started the art project called “abOUT Damn Spot” has begun. Here are some of the images from today’s work.

The images don’t do justice to the many flags we completed and were installed onto the fence today BUT it does give you an idea of the love and positive energy that took place. First of all getting up for a 7 am start was a challenge but we did it and arriving at the park early made me feel safe. I tried not to feel bad about the first encounter that took place before set up. It was unexpected as I had never experienced this before, even though I’ve lived and used this park for at least 12 years.

A woman was riding her bike towards us and she began screaming and then rode her bike into the fence and fell into a heap by the fence. She was several feet away and as we approached II asked her if she was okay and she just kept screaming and incoherently making sounds. Obviously, someone with a mental health issue was what came to mind. To avoid making things worse I told her” well we’ll just walk away then and if you need anything you let us know”. We proceeded to the part of the park with the least amount of tents to set up our art project. As we set up I kept an eye out for our crumpled new friend and eventually she got up and remounted her bike and rode away with some continued yelling, shouting and random vocalization.

Oddly , even with this awkwardness, I was happy to be back entering a piece of the park again; even though I felt this park has been transformed into a completely different place. I kept my dog on leash and set up my chair and we began our stitching project. It felt good to take back a place where we could do something meaningful and enjoy each other’s company. It also was evident that the “spot” in the project was alive in this park. As we worked away and chatted our calm stitching and easy dialogue was broken by the sounds of women fighting, screaming and yelling at each other in the distance (not the crumpled woman who crashed her bike — these were others).

It made even more sense that WE CAN DO BETTER. It’s just not okay to discard people into a park, alley, doorway or street and think it’s tolerable or good enough.

It made my day to see some of my neighbours come out and say hi!! They expressed their frustration not being in the park for a long time and one woman, with her dog, took a triangle/circle home to stitch. She was happy to see us in the park and thanked us for doing something positive. That was a good moment!

Over all I’d say it was a successful first day. When we debriefed there were a few take aways to think about:

• remember to tell people to bring a chair. Also if anyone has sewing kits and thread bring it on!!

• if you’re not comfortable staying you can always just come and pick up triangles and circles and bring them back the following week to install

• the conversation is always the best!! — ie. I had no idea that the police training program in some european countries, like norway take 4 years and in the first year the focus is on ethics…

• having good weather is always a plus.

• Wendy is amazing and will be setting up a website where all the photos and info can be seen.

• Amy is a wiz bang with materials and can that lady cut a straight line or what!! Those kits and cutting will make the work look fabulous

I think Shakespeare would have been happy with todays work and the nod to his Lady McBeth in the title of the project — if we don’t see the spot and talk about it openly how can we DO BETTER? Clearly the issues we face are deserving of attention; so let’s draw some of that attention to the issues through the prayer flags of abOUT Damn Spot.

See ya next Monday I hope!!