Gallery — PEACE QUILT

FLIGHT FOR PEACE There is a simple, striking beauty as a lone blue butterfly takes flight against a pale yellow backdrop. In its wings are the colors of Ukraine, carrying a message of hope and peace. As the universal symbol for survivors of abuse, this single butterfly honors the journey of healing. May voices be heard, and may peace be known.

GIVE PEACE A TURN The peace sign evokes memories of activism during the 60s. I am inspired to speak up for peace and LGBT rights.

CHOOSE LOVE, NOT FEAR This paisley design pays homage to the 1960s, reminding us that love is innate while fear is learned. Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that fear ‘defeats more people than any other thing in the world.’ Yet, when we see ourselves in each other, that fear melts away, leaving love’s pure essence for all to inherit.

MY HUMMINGBIRD HEART When I first moved to California, I had never seen hummingbirds. I saw a large bush with 10 hummingbirds. I was so taken by the sight that I just sat and watched them. Their rapid wings and movement were so delicate and precise, they took my breath away. I am so moved when I see them that it fills my heart with joy, reminding us that we need to stop and appreciate the beauty around us. Making this quilt made me realize I need to step out of my comfort zone and find that I can be creative. Spending time with old and new friends is so healing in these troubled times. Focusing on what brings us joy, peace, and/or happiness makes me a better person.

IT'S TIME When you personally take action to change something for the better, then you have answered the question. If we don’t take action now to change things for the better, we limit the possibilities for a better and more peaceful world.

RADIATING PEACE I was inspired by the universal symbol of the Dove of Peace radiating all the colors of the rainbow.

SONATA From living with WWII and Korean War veterans through Vietnam protests to Iran bombings, the hope & desire for peace has been an ongoing theme in my life. There are many images associated with peace, but I find the dove speaks strongest to me. And there can be no peace without love.

UNBROKEN LIGHT OF LOVE There was a profound sanctity in watching my mother light the Sabbath candles. As the flames caught, she seemed to transcend into another world entirely, a holy space where she was at One with Everything. It is the memory of her I hold most sacred. I lovingly dedicate this quilt square to her.

P-E-A-C-E Guess this one is pretty obvious in the choice. We cut out letters spelling PEACE and made a quilt square for each one. The joy we had in making this was all the fun we needed.

NATURE AND FLORAL My love of nature inspired me to create this square featuring fluttering butterflies and blooming flowers.

FACES OF PEACE My inspiration for this panel came first and foremost from the gathering of people who embraced the idea of sending out a message of peace and love into today’s topsy-turvy world. The compassion, caring & enthusiasm displayed by these people were an inspiration and encouraged me to participate. The idea for the panel itself came from a blank card that I had purchased many years ago. This card showed faces of numerous children from all over the world, of all races, all beliefs, all with their own dreams and aspirations. Some faces were sweet, some fierce, but to me all held wonder and hopefulness of children everywhere. I added the words for peace, love, and hope in three languages –English, Hebrew, and Arabic. (I hope I got them right.) As I looked at the group of children’s faces that I chose from the card, I saw their belief and yearning for peace and happiness, for love & joy--The universal desire for a happy & safe childhood.

WORDS OF PEACE I wanted my square to be interactive. The pocket holds affirmation scrolls. It occurred to me that having viewers “participate” would deepen their experience of our quilt and remind them of the significance of peace and kindness in the world.

KEYBOARD HAPPINESS My favorite instrument is the piano. I learned, barely, to play as a child, and loved doing what I could. I love listening to piano music. It makes me feel so peaceful and happy. This is a depiction of the joy of a piano keyboard.

HONORING DEAR FRIENDS If you say their names, they still live on. John Faranola, Ricky Marquis, Ronnie Southard, Joe Chavez, Cy Rovie, Tony Calise and Ben Choate. All dear friends of mine who were affected by AIDS. This image reflects the inspiration for this Nationwide Peace Quilt. The AIDS Memorial Quilt was displayed on the Washington DC Mall several times between 1987 and 1996. I attended two of those years in the mid-1990s to honor my friends who had passed on and speak their names.

CHILDHOOD HAPPINESS Neighbors told me about this group, and as someone who loves staying busy, helping people, and being creative, I knew I wanted to join. It is truly an honor to help others while solving problems, doing things I’ve never done before, and working together. I had never tried quilting until now. Nature designs bring me immense happiness; the vibrant colors and peaceful images take me back to childhood. When I was eight or nine years old, I used to roll in fields of dandelions. Making these quilt squares serves as a beautiful escape to those earlier happy days. As the oldest girl in a large family, I always had to care for others. Those quiet moments in nature brought me peace. Being involved in this group is a unique experience, and I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished. Knowing that others will enjoy what we are creating brings me pure joy. I just love making people happy.

BOULDER LODGE Every summer, when I was a kid, we went to my grandmother’s home in Keene Valley, NY in the Adirondack Mountains for our vacation. This is Boulder Lodge in a painting by my uncle, Sam Johnson. I was always so happy there and the peace it brought me made it perfect for the Peace Quilt.

A LEGACY OF KINDNESS It can take a lifetime or perhaps a tragedy to fully appreciate Jim Henson’s quote, “Please watch out for each other and love and forgive everybody. It’s a good life. Enjoy it.” His simple message resonates with me. In the end, how you treat people and what you focus on is really all that matters.

SERVING LOVE Adrian inspired me with this beautiful quote which she wrote out on a piece of green/teal batik fabric. I was able to complete the design by embroidering the letters in yellow. Adrian is a wonderful human being that I am so very fortunate to call my friend. Her leadership and creativity has inspired this project in our neighborhood and beyond.

THE COURAGE OF KINDNESS I discovered The Talking Heads later than most, but quickly fell for David Byrne’s quirky spirit and belief in human connection. I love his quote, “Love and kindness are forms of resistance. That’s punk.” It’s easy to grow hardened or detached; harder to remain open-hearted. Choosing empathy, creativity, community, and gentleness in a fractured world can itself be an act of quiet defiance.

TRANSPORTATION IMAGINATION Happy memories put me in a calm and peaceful state of mind. When I was approached to contribute to the Peace Quilt, I tried to reach back into my past to a time when I had no worries or cares and the chaos of the world didn’t matter. And I remembered being a little boy surrounded by my toy cars and trucks and planes, where my imagination could run wild with all sorts of creativity and fun nonsense in my own little world, where the only disruption to my happiness would be the call to dinner. This was MY peace as a child. Not being a person with drawing or embroidery skills, I turned to AI to create an idyllic image and the feeling of what my bedroom and toys represented to me—A dreamy place where infinite possibilities begged to be explored.

DOVE SISTERS Born from a deep conversation with a childhood friend, the Dove Sisters doodle became the heart of the Peacequilt.org logo. It stands as a colorful, creative reminder of a youth filled with hope, courage, love and peace. I am honored that this imagery now serves as our logo, anchoring the sacred feelings of yore and bridging the span of lifetimes.

GEOMETRY OF PEACE AND LOVE I began quilting over a year ago. When MJJ said “Love and Peace”, I immediately identified the perfect fabric from quilts I’d made! A leftover piece with the peace symbol (black and white) and another with hearts (red on white) seemed the perfect choices for my block in this age of icons. Thank you, thank you for the work this group is doing!

CHOOSE. LOVE. SOFTLY. To Choose. Love. Softly. is to offer the weary soul a sanctuary. It is a quiet breath in a chaotic world, a gentle reminder that grace doesn’t need to shout to be felt. In this soft space, we find the truest, kindest reflection of everything good.

PEACE BLOOMS IN COLOR A vibrant lotus flower of many colors reflects our diversity and carries the ancient symbol of purity, rebirth, and spiritual awakening. Rooted in the mud, it still finds the strength to rise above the water and bloom in simple beauty. May we mirror its resilience, holding fast to our truth and transcending all adversity.

UNDER THE SAME WIDE SKY The vast Universe reminds us of our smallness. The stars and planets reveal our interconnectedness. We are all born of stardust. In the stillness of the night, when we remember who we really are, we find a mystery guided by universal love. We are One.

HEARTS OF LOVE Neighbors told me about this group, and as someone who loves staying busy, helping people, and being creative, I knew I wanted to join. It is truly an honor to help others while solving problems, doing things I’ve never done before, and working together. I had never tried quilting until now. Nature designs bring me immense happiness; the vibrant colors and peaceful images take me back to childhood. When I was eight or nine years old, I used to roll in fields of dandelions. Making these quilt squares serves as a beautiful escape to those earlier happy days. By Susan Simpson: As the oldest girl in a large family, I always had to care for others. Those quiet moments in nature brought me peace. Being involved in this group is a unique experience, and I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished. Knowing that others will enjoy what we are creating brings me pure joy. I just love making people happy.

STEPS TOWARD THE LIGHT A soul’s quiet descent into the world finds its rhythm in a baby’s first steps. Each fragile, swaying imprint upon the earth is a golden step. It is the loving, courageous dawn of a thousand-mile journey—a sacred awakening where they claim their divine path, leaving trails of pure light and love behind them.

FREE TO BLOOM Find peace in the creative process. Doodling anchors me to the present moment for in the present moment, suffering disappears. There just is.

STAND FIRM IN LOVE When we think of feet, we think of movement. Where is the right place to step? What is the right next step? Is there a wrong one? Perhaps the only true misstep is the stillness of fear—the choice not to step at all—the opposite of love. Every path has its rough stones, but when the horizon is uncertain, intention becomes our compass. So, choose to step simply, moving always in the direction toward love.

SYMBOLS OF PEACE The image includes a Peace Dove and four peace signs to convey a message of Peace. “Peace” as represented by the traditional symbols of a dove with olive branch and flowering peace symbols reminded me of the 1970s. This Vietnam War timeframe is when I came of age and first began realizing how important peace was for our world.

A LEGACY OF PEACE This quilt square is created in memory of family members.

BOUNTIFUL I love flowers, butterflies, and lady bugs. I love gardening. I love the colors. Neighbors told me about this group, and as someone who loves staying busy, helping people, and being creative, I knew I wanted to join. It is truly an honor to help others while solving problems, doing things I’ve never done before, and working together. I had never tried quilting until now. Nature designs bring me immense happiness; the vibrant colors and peaceful images take me back to childhood. When I was eight or nine years old, I used to roll in fields of dandelions. Making these quilt squares serves as a beautiful escape to those earlier happy days. As the oldest girl in a large family, I always had to care for others. Those quiet moments in nature brought me peace. Being involved in this group is a unique experience, and I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished. Knowing that others will enjoy what we are creating brings me pure joy. I just love making people happy.

THE TREES I've CLIMBED I grew up sheltered by oaks; their branches supple enough to climb and broad enough to offer shade. The leaves of this tree are hearts, living symbols of the love that sustains it. At the center of its trunk burns an eternal flame—a beacon lighting the way for all who seek wholeness, love, and peace.