What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
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less fortunate of Fayetteville through 7Hills Homeless Center. "We were playing at the Bentonville library recently, and there were needle felted paintings on the wall by artist Sally Ball, and they were lovely," she explains. "I'd not heard of needle felting, so I Googled it and was so interested that I got a few supplies and tried it and was hooked. I began doing a bird a day for fun and to stave off isolation. It's like a meditation. "I have been obsessed with felt and wool for years," she adds. "I always say that when I retire I will raise sheep and spin and weave their wool. In the meantime I've been repurposing old wool sweaters into strange vests and things. I shrink the sweater, and it becomes felt. "I kept feeling weird about making all these woolen birds without them having a purpose," she reflects. "Then I was curled up in a chair listening to my favorite new Saami singer, and this idea came to me." Mulhollan says her friend Ginny Masullo had introduced her to the idea of "craftivism" several years ago — making crafts to change the world. "I was intrigued but didn't know how my stuff fit in that genre," she says. "But when I thought about making these and selling them for 7Hills, I recalled the craftivism concept and knew that this really was that. "Years ago Kelly and I were really involved with 7Hills Homeless shelter," Mulhollan explains. "We played music there. We made a CD for a homeless man who wrote the most powerful songs and helped him get his guitar out of pawn and did a house concert for him. Then we did several concerts where I would make a large collage about a song I'd written and put it on an easel and sing the song then silent auction the piece off. We raised plenty for 7Hills back then. "So, sitting in the chair, I realized that I love felted wool. I've been buying used wool sweaters at thrift stores [so I had plenty]. And we had decided to dedicate this year to the birds. So I thought maybe I could make these felted bird paintings and sell them and give all the money to 7Hills! I could even make custom birds for takers. So I posted an owl that I felted on Facebook and immediately someone bought it, and I now have 10 orders for custom birds!" Every day on her Facebook page, Mulhollan reveals the "daily bird" — she's calling the project "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bird" — and those who wish to adopt it can contact her and send their check to 7Hills Homeless Center, Attn: Donations, 828 S. Seven Hills Court, Fayetteville 72701. She's hoping for a donation of $50 or whatever a donor can afford per bird. "I have found that when I'm feeling down, the best thing I can do is reach out and do something out there — for an individual or our community," she says. "I think there are a lot of craftivists out there, and they just need to dream up a way of using their craft for the higher good. It's rewarding and will help make these hard times easier!" In the interest of the safety of our guests and employees, as well as in alignment with guidance from federal, state, and local authorities, Malco Theatres is doing our part to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. As of March 18, 2020, Malco Theatres is TEMPORARILY closing all locations. TICKET REFUNDS (Please allow up to 14 days all refunds to be processed.) If you purchased tickets via Atom Tickets or Fandango, we are working with them to ensure that all ticket purchases are refunded. If you purchased tickets with a Debit, Credit, or Gift Card, we are working to refund all purchases to the original payment method as quickly as possible. If you purchased tickets with cash, please visit the theatre where you made your purchase when it reopens for a refund or contact guest services to obtain a Malco Gift Card. Malco Theatres thanks you and appreciates your ongoing patronage. We anticipate returning as soon as it's safe and responsible to do so. Please check this page, the Malco App, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates. Stay Safe! 4 WHAT'S UP! MARCH 29-APRIL 4, 2020 Daily Bird Continued From Page 3 COVER STORY So far, Donna Mulhollan's menagerie of felted birds includes a penguin, a heron and a "catbird." (Courtesy Photos)