Monday, September 4, 2017

Ripples of peace

I have been inspired over and over again by the peace-spreading artistry of Fiona Dempster
https://paperponderings.blogspot.com/search/label/Peace?
and Barry Smith
of Maleny, in Queensland Australia.

The Peace Pin Project was begun as a result of their example, as detailed here:

And now I am privileged to be a part of their latest efforts in observance of The International Day of Peace this September 21st.

Last month Barry sent me ten peace leaves, here arrayed on some hand-dyed silks from a workshop I attended in 2015 ...


the making of which he wrote about in this post: 

And Fiona sent a trove in June ...


including ten letterpress pieces ...


which I am now sending out to the stitchers who answered Dee Mallon's call two years ago to create the Hearts for Charleston quilt
https://deemallon.wordpress.com/2016/06/01/sent-hearts-for-charleston-quilt ...


The Hearts for Charleston stitchers are/were:
And if all this sounds a bit complicated, so be it. This paraphrase of Robert Frost's poem The Silken Tent says it best for me:

... [Peace] strictly held by none is loosely bound
by countless silken ties of love and thought
to everything on earth the compass round … 

14 comments:

  1. Liz...as I go about town wearing my imagine peace pin there is always that feeling of connectedness to the circle of folks holding space in their lives for a time for peace. Being a part of the creative team for the Charleston quilt project was a gift to my soul that will forever change my journey. Thank you for once again sending along the connecting threads of community with these most amazing pieces of the peace circle - I will treasure them, always. On the International Day of Peace I will be celebrating locally with the refugees we have welcomed to our community beginning just one year ago. The families I work with always mention the little pin for peace I wear...each step, each gesture widens the circle of peace.Namaste,
    Kristin

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  2. Kristin ... Your comment the other day touched my heart and opened me to bringing the Peace Pin Project out of hiatus. Your comment today affirms that choice. Thank you.

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  3. Barry & Fiona are such beautiful souls and so are you Liz!

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  4. The peace leaves are exquisite! Peace must find a way.

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  5. Barry's peace leaves hold so much in their shiny, curved shape; to receive 10 of them is to receive hope across the globe, is to receive a tactile sense of what each of us can do to come together for our our community, our country, our world, united. 8 of Barry's leaves are going to family and friends, 2 of them I am keeping and have placed on my blessing altar as a symbol of gratitude to Barry and as a blessing of connection.

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  6. (((Mo)))

    Sue - we can only try to be that which we wish to see in the world

    Marti - I have a vision of the ripples intersecting as the peace leaves travel hither and yon

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  7. the constancy of your positive acts is a balm for the soul

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  8. Dee - as you well know, what we give to the world comes back in kind ... thank you (as ever) for bringing together the Hearts for Charleston

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  9. Liz, you are a weaver of peace, community and caring. ox

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  10. Sending tears of joyful hope for PEACE. Sending tears of joyful gratitude for each one of you amazing examples of sharing everything that is good. Love and Kindness will prevail.

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  11. We've been talking about peace for many years. For me, starting with
    the Vietnam War. And it continues.
    Joining you in thinking positive about PEACE.

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  12. Hazel - thank you ... we are all threads in an infinite tapestry

    Tina - I believe you are right, that kindness will prevail.

    Cathy - yes, Vietnam was the beginning for me, too ... but I confess there are days when my actions belie my words. Being peaceful can be challenging when there is provocation, either in word or deed.

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  13. L - I find it humbling to be part of a global blogging community that seems to connect and work a little at a time to imagine and work for peace. Thank you for what you do and for including me in that circle of peace. Go well. B

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  14. Barry - I love your closing "Go well"... so calm and hope-full. And yes to humbling, but I would add "empowering" ... could we ever have imagined this degree of connection 10 or 20 years ago?

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