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An Artistic Way To Uplift The Community By Creating Wings

Lisa Barry

There are many ways to try and uplift a community, and several Washtenaw County artists are trying to do that by creating and installing wings around town.

I spoke with some of the wing creators and shares their purpose and passion about what started as a global effort:

Credit Lisa Barry
The community wings in the lower level of Ypsilanti District Library on Michigan Avenue

Inspired by the global wings project of American artist Collette Miller, several Washtenaw county artists and residents have begun creating and installing artistic wings locally.

Credit Lisa Barry
"Bee wings" by Amanda May Moore on the wall outside Cultivate Coffee in Ypsilanti's Depot Town.

Elisa Guyton says for her it's "advocating for humanity on the whole."

Credit Lisa Barry
Charlie Guyton poses in front of the wings.

She has been working with schools and community groups across Washtenaw County collecting individually decorated feathers to create a large set of colorful wings on the lower level of the Ypsilanti District Library on Michigan Avenue.

Credit Lisa Barry
Amanda May Moore stands in front of her "Bee Wings."

Community artist and nearly live long resident of Ypsilanti Amanda May Moore recently used aerosol chalk to create two sets of bee wings on the brick wall of Cultivate Coffee in Ypsilanti's Depot Town.  One set is higher off the ground for adults, the other is lower for children to back up to and see how they feel.

Credit Lisa Barry
Isaac and Anthony Grankee from Metro Detroit trying out the adult and kid-sized wings outside Cultivate.

Moore says she feels the community wings are uplifting and inspiring and gets excited when she sees people want to take a picture with them.

Credit Lisa Barry

The local artists are planning more wings around town and hope to eventually create a permanent set or two so people can continue to be a part of this uplifting community art project.


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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu

Lisa Barry was a reporter, and host of All Things Considered on 89.1 WEMU.
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