Oddballs and naming the big blocks

Artist's info link

Don't forget as you finish and mail your images to send in your information via this page:

http://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/2015/03/peace-puzzle-information.html 

What to do with the oddballs?

Why...design, carve, print! of course! Let me explain. After carving up the puzzle pieces, long long ago (http://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/2015/02/chunks-of-wood-everywhere.html) there were a bunch of odd blocks. Either the shapes were going to be a big challenge or they were too small or of a very strange shape.

Well, you know me, I'm always up to a challenge, the stranger the better! So I decided to lay them aside and either place them "blank" right back where they came from or wait until the muse strikes and sink my chisels into them. I did just that with one of them today. Peaceful, huh?

Maria Arango Diener, "One Love" Peace Puzzle 2015

Big Blocks and Funny Names

As you may recall, the beastly piece puzzle grew to eight 22 x 30 inch (55x76cm) panels, each a block in itself. When I was chopping the pieces, I entertained my mind by thinking up names for the big blocks, based on their main feature and, of course, based on peace.

So far, here is the progress I have made with the carving the background blocks, five are done and three to go. Some pieces already placed in placed but nothing glued yet. Later I will glue all the blocks to their respective backgrounds so they behave properly during printing.

Peace Puzzle 2015, lighter blocks are carved, darker ones are next

Last picture shows the names, also the first letter on the "code" that I wrote on the back of the blocks. I have been told that the names are spiritual, which is fine by me. After some research, turns out most spiritual beliefs in the world, new, old, and from all backgrounds and religious traditions do contain some reference to some or all of the words I used. I believe in peace, love, kindness and happiness and that we are all responsible not only for our own but to bring those things to others.

Starting at top left going right:

Tree, signifying growth and reaching, striving to be higher, better

Dove, probably the oldest symbol for peace, also bird for freedom, essential to peace

Sun, to light the way to peace for all humanity, to guide us in our quest for all that is good

Love, the driving force of everything should be love for all

Bottom row starting right going left:

Earth, our mother, our home

Nature, for all that is good in nature, also for human nature which I believe to be kind at heart

Flow, representing our course through life and the lives of people we touch

Water, the eternal essence of life, water washes away our troubles, quenches our thirst, gives life

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Two! Peace doubled up daily now

Artist's info link!

Don't forget as you finish and mail your images to send in your information via this page:

http://1000woodcuts.blogspot.com/2015/03/peace-puzzle-information.html 

Peace in my mail box daily

What else can an artist ask for!? ...an assistant comes to mind. But never mind that, I will try my best to keep up with my fellow co-conspirators in peace. Here are two more arrivals from the past day or so and already two more on deck for tomorrow.

Gilead Tadmor Cambridge, MA, USA

http://www.facebook.com/gilead.tadmor

http://www.pinterest.com/gileadt

Bacchanalian floating with a glass of wine.

Gilead Tadmor 2015 Peace Puzzle

Jennifer Martindale
Dorset, UK

"In Hindu, Buddhist and Egyptian religions, the lotus has been a powerful image and spiritual symbol for millennia. In Buddhist studies the white lotus represents purity and the pacification of our nature, as the pure white flower rises through muddy water. The dove flying above has represented quiet innocence, peace, long life and love through the centuries to Egyptians, Chinese and the early Greeks and Romans."

Jennifer Martindale 2015 Peace Puzzle

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos

Reaching out across the world

Collaboration within

The next block is a collaboration within a collaboration. During the initial stages of the Kickstarter project The Peace Puzzle, I received a few queries from across the globe from artists and supporters of the project alike. I love that! I love the reach that the internet has given us and I have "met" and consider friends many people from across the world.

Rania Zaarour wanted to participate and told me up front that she wasn't an artist but she would like to have a role in the Peace Puzzle. Sensing a story behind her questions, I offered to design and carve an image for her. Through email, she sent the following along with some pictures of her ideas. I went to work with her amazing story in my head and heart, and came up with an image for her. I carved it today, a collaboration between uprooted souls. Thank you.

Rania Zaarour
Bangalore, India

"Basically, it is a picture of an olive tree, and a house, located in a town in the Northern Mountains of Lebanon called Bcheale (where my mother was born).

After living outside of Lebanon for 24 years, I went back to live there for one year last year 2014 – Our house is in a city called Byblos, by the Mediterranean, about 30 Km North of the capital Beirut;  as you know Lebanon has many political and religious conflicts, it has several areas that are not safe as well, and became more unsafe after the troubles in Syria started …

While I lived in Lebanon in 2014, the only place where I felt has kept its peaceful air and where the population was sparse was the town of Bcheale, I went up every chance I got to spend a week-end in peace, without any worry, roasting potatoes and garlic by the fire, eating apples and figs and grapes from my grandparents trees, and taking walks at sunrise and sunset.  It is the only place I miss since I left to live in Bangalore in January.

Anyways, Bchaele is also known for its olive trees and great olive oil, in fact there are three olive trees that are thought to be 5,000 years old; and thought to be the source of the branch returned to Noah’s arch.    

I attached some pictures that I had of Bchaele, and of the olive trees. The house I point out is that of a cousin.  He became a very good friend and supportive person in the last year, and also brings me peace.

So on my piece of the puzzle, I would love to have the olive tree from Bchaele; if there is room to show a mountain, and a house, that would be great.  If not, the olive tree is enough.

I would love if you design it J But then I am not sure I can be called an “artist” that contributed to the project…  

Here are some links about Bechaele,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisters_Olive_Trees_of_Noah

http://www.greenprophet.com/2013/01/noah-olive-trees-lebanon/

Thank you for letting me be part of this project,

Best, Rania"

Rania Zaarour, Bangalore India
Image for the Peace Puzzle 2015

Stay in touch!

1000woodcuts Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1000woodcuts 
Maria's Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/maria.arango.diener 
Maria's Twitter Profile: https://twitter.com/1000woodcuts 
1000woodcuts YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/1000woodcuts/videos