2011 The Beginning

I am an artist, but probably not so different from you. Like most human beings on Earth, I have experienced my share of loneliness, confusion, suffered loss, and felt overwhelmed by life.

Yet, I too have experienced great JOY. I’ve been blessed by being raised in a loving Christian home. I have learned and experienced God’s great power and great love. I have reached out for the hand of Jesus and felt his embrace many times. I’ve seen “miracles”, or at least from my perspective, God’s grace was present.

Currently however, with the start of this New Year (2011), I find myself feeling unmotivated, a bit wary about the future. I feel a new hunger inside of me which I haven’t felt in a long time. I want something more in my life, and I can’t even describe what that would be. Perhaps it is the hunger for the creative spirit to enter into my busy life.

So I began to paint my daily devotion in January: 365 PEACE SIGNS!

What this effort will lead to, I am not sure, but experience has taught me that when I begin a journey of exploration- when I seek; the answers will present themselves along my path. Often answers to questions I didn’t even know I was asking.

If you long for more “peace” in your life, I invite you to join me in my quest.                            

THE BACKSTORY:

I created my first Peace Art in the early fall of 2009, almost by accident. I had finished creating a project for the Westminster Fine Arts Series late summer, which was an experimental piece, an abstract- of splattering and pouring paint which centered on a large heart. I like it, so I wanted to experiment more. “Peace Head” was born using similar free silliness with no paint brush involved.

In 2010, I continued making a few small abstract Peace Art, on 4 x 4 pieces of foam core- when framed; I thought they look pretty cute.

Then in November/December of 2010, I read a book by Pastor David Platt, called “Radical”, which challenges Christians to do something different- bold, radical…....... and by “taking a leap of faith”…. this would give God the opportunity to show up in amazing ways with small and large miracles for the world to experience.

Since I wasn’t yet ready to get “too radical”….. I had the idea of pursuing a daily period of reflection and meditation, which in turn might lead me to greater discipleship. This is when the idea to combine my love of creating art and my desire to change my busy chaotic life into a more peaceful existence, came together in the creation of this blog “one small daily Peace of Art”.  I was committing to show up everyday and let God do something radical with me.

Small miracles did happen! My life did take on a more positive vibe, and a new lightness/joyfulness surrounds me now, even in my chaotic busy of life. I learned that Peace doesn’t just happen- one needs to focus on creating this peaceful environment in small ways each day; for example- smile more, take time to hug someone, slow down the pace of your life, do one “good deed” for another person each day.

When I started to share my Peace Art with others, I also witnessed a few small miracles happening which had me smiling. Once, when I was hanging up some Peace Art at the Iowa Acupuncture Clinic waiting room, a woman saw the back side which was dated, this happened to be her birth date, and when I turned if over to show her the art, she burst into excitement seeing the pink Peace Art- her favorite color. She bought this Peace right then and there. In a similar story, a person really liked a specific Peace of Art I had on display and needing a small gift for a friend, she bought it and afterwards, when she turned it over, she realized the date was the birthday of her friend who would be receiving this as a gift.

These two “miracles” pushed me towards the decision of what to do with my Peace Art in 2012. Read about this under the next TAB “Spreading Peace”!

Another miracle to me is the fact that in December 2011, I will have my Peace Art displayed in three places in Des Moines.