Week #57 / 52 Weeks of Peace (squared) / © Patricia Saxton
Under one sky
Our blood runs red
Our eyes see, our feet walk
Our hearts beat.
We love, we laugh
We grieve.
We hope.
Red, white, black, yellow
We circle and dance,
Fight and rejoice,
Dream and breathe
And raise our voice
For peace.
~ P. Saxton
proactively punctuating life with the plausible, powerful possibilities of positive thought presented through a plethora of “P’s”.
I’m not holding my breath for the whole world to catch on just yet, but hope springs eternal. So maybe we can help it along; give it some attitude…
Maybe we can hang out our shingles with peaceful intent, toss some into our breakfast, wrap it up in our clothing, walk it into our stride, put the idea in our hearts ~ and practice peace, a little bit, every day.
Peace is having your heat & electric restored after 4 long, cold days! (inspiring another image for the as of yet unofficial “52 Weeks of Peace²“)
I like candlelight and am pretty crazy about real wood fires in the fireplace. And sure, it’s cozy bundling up in blankets and soft, warm woolly sweaters.
But right now, after 4 days of forced power-lessness, I’m so loving my creature comforts. I’m dancing in the house, smiling at my microwave, and basking in the light from a 75-watt bulb. Modern life never felt so good.
Ahhh.
My years at Wittenberg University were among life’s best. So I’m psyched to be heading back to my Alma Mater this month for Homecoming Weekend ~ this time to sign books, instead of study them! Here are the details:
Saturday, October 22 / 10:00 – 11:00 am / Wittenberg Bookstore
The timing coincides perfectly with my newest release, 52 Weeks of Peace. They’re also stocking my 2 children’s books, a toy, and a sampling of fun merchandise. (btw, you might want to check out my “where in the world is peace?” campaign, and join in!). And how cool that Dr. Kinnison is scheduled to sign his work from 11-12. I’m certainly in good company.
Ohio people (and Wittenbergers in general) are one of the nicest collective bunches on the planet, and one of the main reasons I chose Wittenberg way back when. So if you can, please stop by and say hello. I’d love to see you!
Patricia Saxton book-signing / Saturday, October 22, 2011 / 10:00 – 11:00 am / Wittenberg University Bookstore, 734 Woodlawn Ave, Springfield, Ohio / (937) 327-7457
Two years ago to the day, I launched a creative series called “52 Weeks of Peace”, posting a new design on my blog each week for a year.
Today, I am so pleased to announce that thanks to my publisher Lightbox Books (a division of Shenanigan Books), the entire collection is now in gorgeous postcard book format, available for sending, framing, or just enjoying. You can order copies here, or by clicking anywhere on the announcement below.
A side note ~ you might find it interesting (I did!) that the book’s release coincides with the 50th anniversary year of the Peace Corps ~ and that a selection from the series is part of an upcoming 9/11 tenth anniversary exhibit. It’s really something how that all lined up ~ maybe the universe had a hand in it!
I thank you all for your support and encouragement, your appreciation of the art, and helping to spread the idea that “peace starts here”, with each individual, in every day ways.
I’ve included a second “Peace Egg” in this week’s design, which you’ll notice is 180 degrees from all the rest. Some would call it “upside-down”. But there are those who believe that the peace sign we most typically see is the upside-down version.
They will tell you that the peace symbol is, in truth, a reflection of the tree of life … reaching upward towards heaven, open-armed, gentle and alive, whereas the downward, more common peace sign actually defeats the purpose by appearing as a sword. Some feel that if you spend just a little time looking at both versions, the “up” position feels more comfortable and “peaceful”… and that the “down” position feels more angry, which furthermore explains why peace movements have failed. On the flip side, the downward version is said to have been developed to express “no nukes”.
Different opinions abound; but those who view the commonly seen peace sign as upside-down and therefore “wrong”, tend to feel very strongly about it – so I wanted to nod to that belief, at least once in my series, and give them some “peace”.
Symbols and their meanings have a rich and deep history, which I’m only touching on very lightly here. But as someone who’s made part of her living creating symbols, I do find the subject pretty fascinating, and likewise, I understand there can be substantial elemental power within symbols on an energetic level, which I have also experienced first-hand.
Yet meanings can be interpreted differently, or diluted, or ignored … and while I don’t disagree with the notion of symbols as a potent force, I also believe in an individual’s capacity to affect their surroundings, including the symbols in their environment.
So for the purpose of my “52 Weeks of Peace” series, I chose the “downward” version ~ against the wishes of a dear friend ~ for a couple of reasons: 1. it is most familiar and for right or wrong is widely associated with peace, and 2. I personally find a sense of grounding in this version; I see roots, just as the upward version can be seen as branches. Roots, to me, are very life-giving.
And … as many also believe, it is often intent, after all, that matters.
There’s more than one way to solve a puzzle.
