Peace Dove 11-11-2011

This is a project of time and meditation…an idea that sprang into being and had to be made..and although not in accordance to the timing anticipated, maybe the right timing in it’s own way.
This is my PeaceFelt project. I was completely set to start making this on September 23rd, to be mailed on the Monday following, but on the 22nd I had the accident in my studio, bringing all weekend plans to a halt, and generally slowing and simplifying the whole Fall season.  In one view…making it more peaceful.  Within this slowed down season, my idea for a series of felted birds deepened…entwining with text nuno felted into their “feathers”, as with my storytelling felt series. And that is how I came to make this little creature…the first of….several, at least!
 If we have no
peace, it is because we have
forgotten that we
belong to each other. 
~Mother
Teresa 
            Let there be peace
on earth,               
             And let it begin
with me.                  
             
~Seymour Miller
& Jill Jackson                   

    Peace comes from within.       
           Do not seek it
without.             
                Buddha               
                         
If you wish to experience peace, 
provide
peace for another.
Tenzin Gyatsa, 14th Dalai Lama 
texts on the bird’s wings and tail.
This bird is wet felted all as one piece, using a resist for within the body, and resists under the wings and tail during the felting process. After removing the resist and completing the fulling, stuffed with wool. My son welded the feet for me, out in the “boys” studio- that would be at the back of my studio and home to the wood and metal shop. I stitched and tied the tail to shape the tail with fan like pleats, then removed these stitches once the felt was dry.  I wanted the silks to be a little raw, a little ragged. The text is obscured through the felting, but evident, and the text is mostly hidden from plain view- just available in glimpses …if you look for it… all symbolic and reflective.

 

Maybe
we should develop a Crayola bomb as our next secret weapon. 
A happiness
weapon.  A beauty bomb. 
And
every time a crisis developed, we would launch one. 
 It would explode high in the air – explode
softly –
 and send thousands, millions, of little
parachutes into the air. 
Floating
down to earth – boxes of Crayolas.  And we wouldn’t go cheap,
either
– not little boxes of eight.  Boxes of sixty-four, with the sharpener
built
right in.  With silver and
gold and copper,
magenta and peach
and lime, amber and umber
and all the
rest.  And people would smile and get
a little funny look
on their faces and cover the
world with
imagination. 
~Robert Fulghum

This is the quote felted into the bird’s breast…a little more light and fun….and colorful than the others…and feeling appropriate to share with another feltmaking who plays in color and creativity!
It feels appropriate to have started with this project on the International Day of Peace and to have finished on Rememberance Day, and on an special one- 11-11-11.
I’m so attached to this little character…he stands about 8 inches (20cm) tall and is 10 inches (25cm) long…I hope my Peacefelt partner enjoys him…
I’m looking forward to making some more of these… Inspired by ravens/crows/and jays- those noisy storytellers of our forests, with their deep rich iridescent colours and loud voices…what will they have to say?
Warm wishes,
Fiona

 
2017-08-02T16:58:18+00:00

9 Comments

  1. Fiona December 6, 2011 at 4:46 am

    @ Aleta- thanks so much…Your comments mean a lot to me! Thanks for visiting!
    @Loco Lindy- thank you! It was such a pleasure to make!

  2. Loco Lindy December 4, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    This is so beautiful!!!

  3. Hinterland Mama November 23, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    This dove. The quotes. Your timing. Everything about this post, including the photos, give me that special kind of feeling.
    I DO love dropping by here ღ

  4. Fiona November 19, 2011 at 7:29 pm

    Heather- I came across Robert Fulghums quote in a search for quotes on Peace…I love the idea ofan explosion of happy colour! I used to read RF's books…I should pull them out again for some winter reading!
    Barbara-Thank you!
    Els- My son welded a a bar across the two legs to hold them securely in positon, and give me something to help sew them to the birds. I cut a little opening in the bottom of the bird, inserted the legs, and then sewed it closed with the leg bar inside. I can't wait to make some more birds!
    Annie- I so appreciate all your exclamation marks! They speak more than words! Thank you!
    Warm wishes, Fiona

  5. DollZandThingZ November 15, 2011 at 7:23 pm

    Quite wonderful…on so many levels! Peace!

  6. Annie Bananie November 14, 2011 at 7:18 pm

    Fiona!!!! That is most beautiful, from the bird to his/her inscriptions, just wonderfully, inspiring. Peace, Peace, peace to all…

  7. Els November 13, 2011 at 4:39 pm

    Aaaaah Fiona, what a wonderful idea and what brilliantly executed !!! Love all your "peaceful" quotes of so many wise people.
    (I wonder how you incorporated the feet in the body ?)
    I am very curious how the other birds will be ….. 😉

  8. Barbara November 13, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    As always, you are an inspiration in creativity and harmony!

  9. Heather Woollove November 13, 2011 at 6:22 am

    What a beautiful, carefully thought-out project, Fiona!! The quotations are perfect…
    and I'm a special fan of Robert Fulghum's. I have read and re-read his books for years. (He and Mr. Rogers had it right, don't you think?!)
    XXO–