Arte Motu Junior and the Prayer Stones

Last Friday., November 4th, 7 kids, aged between 6 and 9, gathered around a table to converse about public space, public art, symbols, and the prayer stones project. This newly formed group of young artists is called Arte Motu Junior. For the Prayer Stones Project, each kid designed a symbol to signify the balance between good and evil, and colored a t-shirt using the symbol. Their next meeting will be on December 4th, to start the making of  the prayer stones.

Frannie Markham, 9 year old from Pacific School in Davenport, daughter of Arte Motu founder Rosanna Petralia, came up with the idea of forming an Arte Motu subgroup just for the kids. Her Prayer Stones Project idea comes after the reading of a graphic novel called Bone. In the book, the myth of a dragon who bites his own tail, while flying around the planet, is seen as the balancing act between good and evil. The Prayer Stone Project sees both kids and adults making stones of maximum 3 feet in dimensions. Each stone will symbolize the balance of good and evil, and, together with a praying bead, will represent a tool for meditation and prayer. The idea is not at all out of place in these times of civil unrest, and economic and ethical instability. When ready, the stones will be placed on top of a hill around Pescadero. A public ceremony will welcome the stones in the community.

The meeting infuse everyone with good energy. The immediacy, sincerity, sweetness, willingness to do of the kids is inspirational. "This is going to be so much fun!", Frannie Markham said at the end of the meeting.