#wishingpelt is a life work.  Across the years and across the globe, I have had unexpected encounters with strangers because of my chest hair.  Strangers frequently approach me in public to run their fingers through my chest hair.  Recently, my acupuncturist confessed that it was the most amazing chest hair she had ever seen.  Many friends refer to it as "magical chest hair" and pet it as a way of greeting me.  Slowly over time people have begun to make wishes on it as well.  This all got me thinking, "Run your hands through and make a wish."  Like the roving Blarney Stone, or a queer wishing well.  Worshipers of "the pelt" are now asked to photograph their experience on their cell phone and post the images and comments on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #wishingpelt.  The website wishingpelt.com collects all of these photographs and tweets, creating a living archive of the public's experience with the pelt.

 

These images are the entire Instagram feed.