P.S.A. August 3, 2015
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541-497-0246
Patching our Planet Together with Love — Peace by Piece
September 21st is International Day of Peace — During that week, people all over the planet focus on what they can contribute to the effort of peace. Let’s add our Corvallis Vision of what a Peaceful Planet might look like, by creating big paper tapestries in 6” x 6” paper squares, taped together. It is easy and fun!
Andrea Smith, a well-known Peace Activist and Social Artist who has owned the Andrea Smith Gallery at Tlaquepaque, near Sedona, Arizona, for 16 years, has been devoted to peace since the early 1980s when she started her career on Maui. Andrea‘s current visionary project is Peace by Piece. Last year, this event was such a great success in Arizona, they are including many more cities and even other countries. OSI has been invited to ask all Corvallis students and residents to join her this year. Participation can be organized or spontaneous, working through schools, churches, synagogues, businesses, or simply in small casual groups. Patching our Planet together with Love does not have to be a coordinated effort. Just imagine the possibilities! Friends can get together and create their own 6 x 6 inch paper squares of what a Peaceful World might look like, or simply express what the word “Peace” brings to mind for them as individuals. These ‘pieces of peace’ are then taped together as a paper quilt. Like a visual ‘flash mob’ we would see Peace by Piece tapestries all over town in art galleries, shops and other venues all around town! Anybody can make a Peace by Peace square, and find others to join in. creating you own tapestry for September 21st, The International Day of Peace.
Andrea Smith has always been passionate about the direction and purpose of her work as a Creative Change Agent, much like Gandhi. “The thought behind this event,” she says, “is that we must create the peace we want. On this specified day the meaning is magnified because it is so many people all across the planet focusing on the same thing. Humanity is a rainbow blend of people. We must see ourselves as people sharing the earth.”
What could be easier? Let’s represent our Corvallis community by weaving it together as a tapestry of peace. All we need is the people to make squares, someone to paste them together, and a venue for display. This simple idea brings together the entire community with one common goal – Peace by Piece.
Let’s do it, Corvallis! Let’s create a visual flash mob and watch what appears throughout Corvallis on September 21, 2015, to celebrate International Day of Peace. Join Andrea Smith in her vision to BE a positive community anchor for a peaceful world right now.