“Will Work for Empty Wallets” Creator Completes American Flag, Trying to Bring it to Macon Next

COCHRAN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — We were down in Cochran today, to check out local artist Heather Hutton’s “American Flag” made out of wallets.

You can ask Hutton about any of the nearly 1300 wallets that make up the flag, and she’ll tell you each one’s story.

“Kerry Walker is a lighting design artist,” said Hutton, as she pointed to one on the exhibit.

Her idea to put together a big tale of unemployed America came from Hutton’s own struggle. In 2009, she found herself broke, homeless, and invited to an art show in Tennessee.

“After looking down at my wallet I realized that this was my self-portrait and so I cast my wallet in iron and put it on display,” she said.

That year a friend made her a wallet out of Duct-tape.

“So I just kind of held on to that idea.”

That’s how 41NBC met Hutton back in March 2012. She and a group of art students from Middle Georgia College were “Working for Empty Wallets,” swapping real ones, for duct tape versions.

Middle Georgia College student, Rayfield Richardson says being a part of this project has been life-changing.

“If you can talk about creating a flag out of wallets and bring it to life, then anything is possible,” says Richardson.

It’s messages like that one, that caught the attention of the Macon Arts Alliance.

“To see this enormous flag being built out of those is just an overwhelming emotional experience,” says Jonathan Dye, Macon Arts Alliance.

Dye is trying to bring the exhibit to the 567 in downtown Macon this February.

“This is something that is personal, a story about your own life, that you’re trying to share with the world and I think that it’s going to move people and it’s going to make a difference in the world,” says Dye.

It’s already made a difference in her own life, and Hutton is ready to share that with others.

“I look at this project, and I remember all the sad, ugly stories behind every one of these empty wallets. Then I stand back and look at the project and i think about but look how beautiful they are all together assembled as an American flag,” says Hutton.

If you’re feeling generous, donate to Hutton. She’s trying to bring her art to the 567 in Downtown Macon! For more information on how you can help Hutton get her exhibit to Macon, click here.