"Princess of Peace"

Princess of Peace                                                                                                           B Upton

I painted "The Princess of Peace" a few years ago for an art show I was curating called "Exposing War and Exploring Endless Peace". I recently decided to make the princess's hair wavy to match my grand daughter's and gave the painting to her on my recent trip to Arizona. She is not three yet, so the bubble wrap was infinitely more interesting than the art! But I hope as she grows older she'll like it and appreciate its message of peace.

The Princess of Peace is one with all life, rooted to the earth, yet also at home with the starry night. She is a harmonious blend of soft and strong, head and heart, and the physical and the spiritual.

Her compassionate gaze tells us that we are perfect in all of our imperfections-that we should not be so hard on ourselves-that at our core we are divine and worthy of all the joy this world has to offer. She also reminds us that each of us has tremendous power to create a more just, sane and loving earth and that power begins when we love and honor the totality of who we are!

That is what I hope my darling grand daughter will see when she looks at her!

I have been standing for peace every Saturday for over ten years with a wonderful group of dedicated peace and justice activists called New Paltz Women in Black. We are part of an international movement of women taking to the streets to say no to war, militarism and violence in all its forms. We wear black for we are mourning all the senseless deaths of war and as a symbol of resistance. Women in Black has been called the largest mobilization for peace in the world! Here is a video I did last summer - "Women in Black in the Hudson Valley and Beyond."



"When we see God in each other, we will be able to live in peace." Mother Theresa

Wishing you a day of peace, love and joy.