PEACE BE WITH YOU
Peace Be With You
mixed media quilt
PEACE be with you….peace BE with you….BE peace….peace be with YOU….this phrase with all it’s possible inflections has been rolling around my head since last Sunday when I went to our regular episcopal church service here at The Bishop’s Ranch. As is the custom of this service there were several readings and then the congregation can share thier reflections. There are a lot of wise and wonderful people who come regularly to the service so I almost always get a little gem to take home with me to reflect on. Last weeks readings talked about Jesus coming to the disciples walking with them, eating with them and talking with them. These are the same guys who just a few weeks before had betrayed and abandon Jesus in his darkest hour. Pat Moore, the Ranch chaplain, reflected on the fact that in each encounter with these scardy-cat disciples Jesus says “Peace be with you”. No anger or accusation, no demand for repenting or apology just “Peace be with you”. And if you really think about that simple phase there is a lot packed in. It seems to me to be a universal message, no matter ones religious affiliation or lack there of. If we can find peace in our mind, our life, our relationships and if we can truly greet one another with an expression of peace in our hearts, well I think the world would be a better place. So as I left church with that refrain reframed in my mind I went down to my studio and got busy. I spread out some muslin and organza and tulle outside on some tables. I pulled out some stencils and stamps; spray paint and inks and began creating with peace in my heart and nothing but experimenting in my mind. Later that afternoon I had the opportunity to join a quilting group that was here for the week and although my to-do list told me you can’t – my peace filled heart said follow this thread. So I cut up my fabric into panels and with great abandon began quilting these small wall hangings. It was so wonderful to work with no plan, no agenda just tugging on the thread of peace that I had be given to see where it took me. It took me quite far – today here are two of the pieces I made this week. I’ll share more of what I did in future posts. PEACE BE – BE PEACE
Peace Be
mixed media quilt
Peace Be With You
detail- muslin and organza spay painted with Tint-It paint through stencils, stamped and stitched
Peace Be
detail- muslin and organza spay painted with Tint-It paint through stencils, stamped and stitched
Jane
These are beautiful as is the story of how they came to be.
I desperately want to join you at the ranch for another class but life is just not allowing that at the moment, so your blog is all the more appreciated.
Today however I finished my own “quilt” project. My Rec Therapy group at the VA was provided with a box of fabric samples and I was asked to create a quilt project for the Vets craft group. Unfortunately it was rather dull and stiff upholstery fabric! With all the limitations of these wonderful disabled Vets and the VA facility it was a challenge, but reading your blog over the years and seeing how you make beauty from anything and everything had me inspired and determined. Today after several weeks of cutting and glueing (sewing machines and needles not an option) they finished their collage quilt. It was simple, but seeing the proud smiles on their faces made it the best quilt ever.
Thanks for the constant inspiration, it touches the lives of many more than you know.
lisathorpeartist
What a great project Jane- I’d love to see what you did with the vets. If you ever need any technical advise please feel free to check in with me!