Area children have completed a massive quilt decorated with images of peace and tolerance as part of the Conflict Resolution Center’s Peace by Piece initiative.
“Peace by Piece” is an ongoing art project sponsored by the CRC to increase the community’s awareness of and interest in peace, tolerance and collaboration. The CRC is bringing together children from a variety of neighborhoods, communities and organizations so they can each create a quilt square to illustrate a story representing what peace means to them.
Reflecting the ties that bind individuals into healthy communities, each of the hundreds of squares will connect to one another and to a centerpiece containing an image of a dove, the universal symbol of peace.
“Once assembled, the quilt will embody the ideal that, when we work together, our diverse perspectives and world views are the pieces that strengthen the fabric of harmonious, sustainable communities,” said Alice Burlinson, chair of the CRC’s board of directors. “The quilt will serve to show that there is endless strength and opportunity within our communities because people see things differently.”
To complete the project, children were asked to convey their thoughts, ideas and dreams about what peace means to them on an 8-inch quilt square. With the help of Kim Weitkamp, a nationally recognized storyteller, the children were guided through the creative process using imagery techniques to write a story about peace. Using these stories as a guide, the children created their quilt squares to reflect or illustrate the peaceful memory or vision described in their story. The quilt and each of the stories is now on display in the Taubman Museum of Art where it will allow viewers to identify the corresponding stories and quilt squares.
The Peace by Piece quilt will remain on display in the auditorium through January. On Dec. 3, children involved in creating the quilt will showcase their work to their families with a special event at the museum.
