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!

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From UK and US with love and peace and hand-written notes

Hand-written notes

The most precious thing I receive along with the contributions for our collaboration in peace are hand written notes from all over the world. Some are even written on hand-made cards! I think with the advent and popularity of social media we forget that time is the thing that we can give each other that goes unappreciated. A quick text, a two-second post on Facebook, a micro-second "like" to some comment...they simply don't compare with the image I get when I receive a hand-written note. I can imagine the writer, someone I probably don't know, bent over for a few generous minutes, guiding their hand carefully over a piece of blank paper, forming the characters that make up the precious words. Really a lost art. Thank you all for taking the time.

Nela Bligh
Berkshire UK

About a month ago I received a wood block in the post from Maria Arango Diener. Before that I had donated 45  dollars to a charity that is hoping to raise funds to make a huge 160 piece Peace Puzzle.

All the applicants  over the world have received their pieces and will engrave an image that represents the word ‘Peace’ So in time the pieces will be sent back and the puzzle complete and a print made and a book published.

I thought long and hard about my ‘picture’ because Peace is a big word with many meanings.  Not just a peaceful scene that we might see and feel in our gardens, parks and countryside; but the direct opposite to war, conflict and adversity!

There are many children in this world who rarely experience peace not even in their beds at night.  They and their families fight for peace with every living breath.

I live in a country where we have enjoyed peace for a long time; but our children, while safe need to be educated and be aware of the big picture.

In the 1990s my youngest child went on a demonstration in London to march against a war in Afghanistan.  It was a massive rally and she wore a ‘T’ shirt designed and made by a colleague in the Library, bearing a peace sign. Her DMs not black like a soldier might wear but bright blue and dotted with red flowers. She and thousands more marched that day singing songs of peace and hope. While they didn’t win that day; we did go to war; the experience instilled in her a mistrust of authority and the need to continue marching for active, long lasting peace that we take so much for granted.   

I hope my tiny investment in the project will go some way to raise awareness and promote the need for peace and peaceful action against adversity not with more weapons but pictures.

Barbara Walker 

Washington, North Carolina                        

To this ardent reader my block resembled an open book, and there are few hours more peaceful than those spent reading. Additionally, global peace needs a foundation of access to universal public education, public libraries, and lots of bookstores. 

Stay in touch!

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More images of peace

Carol Chapel
Corvallis, Oregon USA

Carol chose to write her words on the back of her block! How cool is that, here is her lovely block with wonderful color images from her local art center, a close up view and the words she shared.

Louise Stebbing & Martin Stebbing

Here are two great images that came together and took their rightful place in the block.

Louise Stebbing                East Anglia, UK
www.louisestebbingprintmaker.com   

"Its great to take part in such an amazing project and wonderful that there are people out there to organise such a project and put so much work into it themselves, thanks Maria.

The images I used are mostly symbolic images of peace that have been used for an age - but still have a huge relevance today.

Martin Stebbing  

- I followed the theme looking at the piece and shape of wood and let the wood design it for me."       

Martin Stebbing 2015 Peace Puzzle

Louise Stebbing 2015 Peace Puzzle

Check it Out! First pieces in place

Four pieces in place in the Peace Puzzle 2015

Stay in touch

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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