Studio Final Project：Build Your Own Prayer Beads

             Build Your Own Prayer Beads             

                                                                                           Materials I prepared for this Project:            

        Beads and Chinese Traditional Tea Cups      

 

        Lotus Incense Stand (Lotus a symbol of purity in Buddhism) and Sandalwood Incense (typical Buddhism Incense I brought from China, the smell of incense can calm people down, I want to let people have a great experience when they building up their Prayer Beads) 

Threads and Scissors

My Creative Respond: Prayer Egg

I want to have this displayed to be a decoration, and this also related to my topic as well :1. bead symbol of pray, egg best wish of new born, purity, and inside of the eggs have a written prayer.

The Fabric I chose to be the table cover

Why I chose Blue：I love blue and I think this color can calm people down.

Have all the things ready to go

I made out a chair by shoe box (silver down)

And one basket as another chair (put it up side down)

closed suitcase have the fabric laid on as a table

Fuji Instax mini and photo paper to record people

I used Photoshop to make this poster and tape in on the foam board in order to attract people on Washington Square

Ready to Go!!!!!

Location: Washington Square

Video of the process

A slide show of all the Photos I took

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Studio Final Statement

I chose the Community of Buddhism. There is one main thesis in Buddhism which is  compassion includes qualities of sharing, readiness to give comfort, sympathy, concern, caring. And the object I chose at the beginning of the semester Buddha Beads is also an element to let people reciting mantra and daily praying. And over years I always worn and count the beads wherever and whenever , and also praying in my heart without saying any words. I always feel blessed by this buddha beads. And after I researched I found that bead is a symbol of pray and blessing in most religions. So I decided to combine the compassion and praying in this project. For my first iteration, I did a experiment in my apartment lounge of the activity of “build up your own prayer beads” I was succeed and wanted to have it try at a larger public space. So for my Second Iteration I chose to have my  booth set up at Washington Square. I have all the material prepared and also created a comfort and eastern look space for people come and sit. They would smell a special sandalwood incense I brought from China. And now I wanted to spread the luck and blessing to the people around me. My first spot was not many people walking around, There were only 5 kids came, they were really interesting about make the beads however, not the word pray. I asked them to make a pray in their heart when they were building the bracelet. I think almost of them ignored, they are only focusing on choosing the beads to make a beautiful pattern. But there was one little girl really touched me. She asked me what is prayer beads, I simply explained that is bead made out by praying and it can bring people luck and blessing. She was so excited and said that she would make the prayer beads for her mom, and pray for her mom happy everyday. Her mom sits besides her kissed all over her face. I decided to moved to a more lively place which is almost the center of the Washington Square. People Started to stop and asked if it is really free. And about 13 more people made their own prayer beads. I told them the idea of my project. They really loved it, and said would definitely to make a pray during the process. Before they finished I also asked them to chose one beads from their own bracelet and give to me as a gift. I want to collect different little prayer beads each different people and build them up as one bracelet. I took photos of them with their beads. After this project, I found out that I can really push myself to do the things that I would never do before. And all the nervousness turned out as happiness. People were much more nicer than I was thinking about them. When I was editing the video, I laugh sometime. I created this project to sent out gift of blessing and happiness, However, I think I am the most happy person during all the progress. I am feeling so blessed.