One Artown event last year brought community members together to fold paper cranes out of recycled military uniforms. Now, the 1,000 cranes make up the “Combat Paper: Prayers And Wings” exhibit at Northwest Reno Library. Our reporter Anh Gray visited the library last year during one of these workshops. Let’s listen back to that story.
According to a Japanese legend, one wish will be granted to anyone who folds 1,000 origami cranes.
Credit Marcus Lavergne
“When people are engaged in the creative process, they’re using their right brain and this helps them access emotions they, perhaps, can’t verbalize,” says therapist Katie Peacock-Dutt who works at the Veterans Administration Medical Center.
Credit Marcus Lavergne
For Tina Drakulich, using combat paper for artistic expression has a deeply personal significance because of her son David, who died in Afghanistan in 2008 at age 22.
Credit Marcus Lavergne
A few years later, David's family founded the David J. Drakulich Art Foundation, and the organization is now sponsoring this exhibit.
Credit Marcus Lavergne
Tina Drakulich says in order to make this special "combat paper" she had to cut-up David’s uniform into postage-stamp size pieces to process through a paper mill. It was an emotional experience that she says felt symbolic of sharing the burden of her pain with a larger community.