It's been a very, very hard week. My heart bled for everyone involved as I watched the news about Boston; about West, Texas; about the devastating earthquake in China...and continuing into this week with avalanches and shootings in Seattle.
It's all too much, sometimes. We can stop watching TV, we can stop listening to the news, and yet events don't stop. We are still a part of this world community in which something that affects someone else's life in such a deep and tragic way cannot help but have an impact on our own life.
There are a variety of ways to respond. I choose hope. I choose to do what I can to bring peace to my little corner of the world and, maybe, if I get the opportunity, to bring peace to a larger corner of the world.
As a quilter, my healing often comes through fabric and thread. While listening to the news late last week, I recalled reading Sandi Colwell's blog post on thankfulness. I shot her a direct message on Twitter: Can we do something quilty in response to this? As I suspected she would be, she was all over it! And so, the Project Hope Online Quilt Show was born.
Express your hope. Express your joy and unity and bridge-building and where you can be peace. Join us for the Project Hope Online Quilt Show. (Thanks to Sandi for putting the rest into words so well--I've borrowed this directly from her blog post on the topic.)
Project Hope Online Quilt Show
In keeping with theme of hope, love and peace, create a 12″ x 12″ art quilt that conveys your thoughts and emotions.
The design rules are simple…there are none. Use whatever
creative means on this piece of art that you want to…stamps, paint,
couching, transfers, crayons, thread, beads, simple piecing, applique,
you name it, you can do it!
We ask that you include an artist statement in your Flickr
description about your piece and how you felt while you were creating
it.
Upload through June 30th, 2013, to the group on Flickr titled Project Hope Online Quilt Show.
If you are feeling moved to take more action while creating this art quilt, we ask that you make a donation of time or money to an organization of your choice that exemplifies the theme of hope, love and peace. One such organization could be The One Fund. This fund is currently collecting money to go to the many victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. Use the link to find out how to donate and for more information.
So join us, won't you? Join the Sandi/ys in celebrating hope!