I-Magzz Part 2, Issue 2 Volume IV | Page 34

GLOBAL ART PROJECT FOR PEACE EMPTY BOWLS, FULL HEARTS In late April, a package postmarked from Spain came to art teacher Mrs. Diana Barr’s desk. Inside were large puzzle pieces, each uniquely decorated by middle school students depicting their culture’s interpretation of peace. The artwork, which now adorns the walls of Room 123, arrived in Dayton as part of an international exchange known as the Global Art Project for Peace (GAP). Barr and her students have participated biennially since 1998, exchanging art with a new group from a different part of the world every other year. GAP’s mission is to “joyously create a culture of peace through art.” What does peace look like? That is the challenge given to all who participate in Global Art Project, an international organization that seeks to “create a culture of peace through art”. GAP encourages artists to use all mediums of art to create what they believe peace can appear to be. Artists from around the world participate in this biennial exchange, with the first step being to create a work of art inspired by the theme: We Are All One. Students had the opportunity to assist The House of Bread in its annual fund raising event, Empty Bowls, last fall. The event supports the organization’s mission of serving meals daily to children, families and seniors. “The goal is to get the subject of peace on the table and keep the conversation going,” said Barr, art department chair. “The more you talk about it, the more you get kids thinking about how they can achieve peace.”Projects of varying shapes, sizes and mediums are mailed out during the final week of April, “encircling the globe with this concept of peace and friendship,” Barr said. Anyone in the world can participate, either individually or as part of a group. According to Lasley, students created bowls which were then auctioned off to the guest attending the event. “The kids took the project seriously”, she said. “I’m impressed with how they wanted to make sure their bowls were right. It was also about getting the kids to think about the needy.” Event organizer David Oaks was also appreciative of the students’ time and effort. “The ceramic bowls you crafted were beautiful. [They] will serve as daily reminders to our guests that there are hungry people in our community that we can help to serve.” This spring, students in all five of Mrs. Barr’s classes created and sent prayer flags (like those pictured above) to a class of middle schoolers in Spain. CREATIVE ARTWORKS AT DISPLAY PAGE 30