umbrellas for peace!

so this is only a week late, but i've been meaning to tell you something!

last thursday after school, shelly and i ventured off to the american university of kuwait for an art exhibition where i read that there would be a workshop for umbrellas for peace.  i didn't really know what umbrellas for peace was, but it sounded good, so off we went.  the artist who founded the project is named matt lamb.  he had an exhibition of his art work, along with the umbrellas for peace workshop.  people were painting umbrellas and there were umbrellas EVERYWHERE!  they were lining the hall on both sides and they were hanging from the ceiling!!  it was so neat!!  we asked if we could paint an umbrella but they said that the workshop closed at 4...and it was 4:10.  BOO!!  we kept looking at the umbrellas, enjoying the art, when a nice security woman came up to us and asked if we wanted to paint an umbrella!!!  UM, YES!!! 

we had so much fun painting our umbrella, and we were giving obvious "middle school teacher" vibes as we did so!!  while others painted theirs with beautiful scenery, collages, splatters, etc., we went the more literal route, with the words UMBRELLAS FOR PEACE and some symbols of peace.  it was great fun and we were so happy to have participated. 

NOW, what is this umbrellas for peace, you ask?!  well let me tell you!  it is a project where anyone can paint an umbrellas with symbols of peace and then use the umbrella to spread the message of peace throughout their "world".  it started after 9/11 when matt was asked to find a way to help individuals whose lives were affected by the tragedy to work through their grief.  the umbrella is a symbol of protection - no matter who you are, you are safe under the umbrella. 

here's a quote from matt lamb's site:  The umbrella is a metaphor for protection. It does not discriminate, and all people-regardless of race, age, gender or country--are safe under the umbrella.
The top of the umbrella is the shelter and represents our hopes, dreams and aspirations. The underside of the umbrella represents concerns and fears. Matt Lamb Umbrellas for Peace^SM helps children and adults express their positive emotions and heal negative experiences by painting them onto the umbrella. It teaches children peace, hope, love and creativity instead of the daily message of war and aggression. It is our goal to spread these messages into the world through art.

here are some pictures to check out our fun.  also check out matt's site:  umbrella's for peace