November News

Prayer flag hangs in downtown Providence RI

Gil and his peace flag in France

Here we are, one third of the way through the month of November. Mother Nature has delivered a few surprises in the past week plus including snow and now unseasonably high temperatures. The leaves on the trees outside my studio are a honey color dappled with brown and burnt orange.

Fall is characteristically a bitter sweet time for me. This fall notwithstanding, I approach the conclusion of "Woven Voices: Messages from the Heart" a project which I launched in December 2007. Over the past 4 years, we have gathered over 2,200 messages of peace and hope that have been read out loud in Market Square Portsmouth, NH. We have woven over 1200 prayer flags total with over 650 of those for the Kickstarter goal. These prayer flags fly worldwide and close to home.

prayer flag with portrait of son

prayer flags in Hiroshima Japan at the World Friendship Center

Glacier Park, Two Medicine Lake, Montana

There is much to celebrate and much to feel proud of. Thanks to each of you for your encouragement, support and effort to build and sustain this project.

The prayer flags are being sent to people and organizations from Africa, to Norway, to New Zealand, to France, to Japan and to folks close at hand that need to feel our support and love. I plan to fulfill the commitment to deliver some to Ground Zero in the late winter/early spring. I have sent some to the folks in NYC at Occupy Wall Street. The work goes on even as we draw this project to an honorable conclusion.

There are a few hundred messages still to be woven. If you are moved to come to the studio to weave, please let me know. There will not be a designated time/day for weaving, so just let me know what/when is best for you. New weavers are welcome.

Thank you for all your love and support. Blessings and Peace ~ Sarah

Lift Off!!

Peace weavers quartet !

Yesterday at about 3 PM EST, the Kickstarter pledge drive came to a finish. Pledges were still coming in up to the last hour. THANK YOU to ALL YOU BEAUTIFUL BACKERS!! I am so honored and amazed to have the support and backing of each of you who contributed on-line as well as those who sent me checks and even those who reached directly into their pockets and gave me cash. The Grand Finale for Woven Voices is now a reality...and in full swing!!

flags on the loom

gorgeous pile of peace flags!

So now we weave, and weave and weave!! Thus far we have woven about 200 prayer flags. They go quickly and easily with no prior weaving experience is necessary. Please email me to find out the schedule. I can accommodate up to 4 weavers at a time. Many weavers come more than once. I look forward to welcoming all ages and abilities to the studio to help us weave Peace together. 

There are a few other ways you can lend support to this project.

The long continuous strip of flags

• Sewing the flags ~ the prayer flags are woven in one long continuous strip on the loom. We can get about 20 woven, then we have to cut off the flags and sew the edges by machine so that they don't unravel. We are looking for folks who might like to sew, either here in the studio or at home.

 Sewing the flags

Mother/Daughter Peace Weavers

• Materials ~ we are gathering yarns and ribbons to use in the weaving. Clean out that closet and send us your donations!!
• Ideas ~ where shall we send and install these 1000 prayer flags?? I am open to your ideas and suggestions, preferably with names and contact info. I am currently researching Ground Zero contacts. All ideas welcome. 
• Messages are still welcome until August 15th. Please see the blog side bar for more info.

Postcard Underground words of encouragement!

And finally ....there have been multiple lessons that I have learned over the past three and a half years that I have been guiding this global Peace project. The biggest lesson is one that is continuously repeated, just because I guess I need it!!

The lesson is to keep doing this work, even in the face of obstacles. And then when I least expect it, there is an affirmation that what I am doing makes a difference. This week I have been the recipient of a post card campaign of Anonymous Love from the Postcard Underground. So far I have received about 6 postcards from strangers with words of encouragement and admiration. Wow!! These lift me up and make me smile!! Thanks Postcard Underground !!

So with a full heart and a happy spirit I return to the loom. Thank you all for the Kickstarter backing, for the words of encouragement, for the weaving/sewing/materials and message of Peace and hope. Thread by thread, we are making a difference!
Love ~ Sarah

Happy Peace-filled Independence day!!

Stepping Out ~ May 11th noon ~ message reading

Spring in New England is pure magic. After long, dark months where the only color one sees is grey, or maybe shades of brown; all of a sudden one day you wake up and kaboom...! there is an explosion of greens, pinks, yellows and purples. Seemingly overnight the world is transformed from a dull, colorless vista to a wild parade of joyous technicolor, akin to what happens to Dorothy when she steps into the Land of Oz.

I actually have no right to complain about the long winter because I was away for all of it. But never the less, I am still in awe of the magnificent celebration that Mother Nature is putting forth this week.

Here in my studio I continue to celebrate being home and getting back to what I love to do ~ weave, make art, teach and build community. With the Woven Voices Project, I have messages to read and flags to be woven. Here are the details ~

On my travels across the Atlantic I stopped at St Helena, where I visited with the students and teachers at Pilling Primary School. I gave a dozen prayer flags with this sweet school who have installed the flags going up the inside stair way.

While at the school, I was given over 100 messages of hope and peace from the students and teachers. On May 11th at noon in Market Square, Portsmouth, NH I will read these messages along with dozens other beautiful messages. I hope that you will join me.

My other invitation is to come weave prayer flags. There are four looms in the studio ready to go. To entice you to join this community art project...here is what your prayer flag will do ~ bring a ray of hope, a moment of peace, a ray of sunshine to someone somewhere in the world.

Here is Sedick Davidson, curator of The Heritage Museum, Simon's Town, established in his family's house (built in 1858), which belonged to the Amlay family until they were forcibly removed from the town when it was declared a white group area in September 1967 under the Group Areas Act of the Nationalist Government. There is still much sadness and pain from this era of South African history. Sedick was touched to receive the gift of a prayer flag. I gave him two, one for his daughter who suffers from a debilitating disease.

If you have a couple of hours, I welcome you here to weave and spread hope and peace around the world. Email or call me to make a date to weave!

I will keep posting images of prayer flags from my recent travels, as well as share the inspirational stories. I hope to see you on May 11th at noon in Market Square! Peace and gratitude ~ Sarah