Earth Day, Bioneers and Ukraine
Every day is Earth Day with the Singing Tree Project. One of the goals of the Singing Tree Project is to focus on the sacredness of the rare and precious planet we occupy in each mural we create. We are here together. Thank you for being a part of this Village to make a world that works for all living beings.
Unity Through Creativity (UTC) will be offering a workshop to the public on Friday, 8th, July 8th from 1:00-4:00 pm with Kathleen Brigidina of TreeSisters on painting with natural materials. We strive to make our practices kinder to the earth. Stay tuned for more details.
The painting above is a detail of the Ukrainian Singing Tree of Strength and Freedom in progress. The Nightingale, painted by Zayra Mojaca of the University of Texas in El Paso, is the national bird of Ukraine. The songbird is sitting on the Viburnum tree, which the besieged country's National Tree. Sacred Humans, Sacred Earth and Sacred Life are being destroyed in Ukraine as the world watches. They are being destroyed in Yemen, Afghanistan, the Congo, Syria, Ethiopia, Mexico, the U.S. and...... They are being destroyed all over the planet. This is not the world we know is possible. Unity Through Creativity - not Unity Through Force - is demonstrated over and over through our projects. We join with other Peace Builders (see Partners) in sharing skills, resources and strengths in this huge challenge of creating a just and loving society on our miraculous planet.
World Premier of Four Singing Trees at Bioneers, Palace of the Fine Arts, SF, May 13-15, 2022
Bioneers is having their first in-person conference since Oct, 2019. The non-profit brings together cutting-edge leaders from Indigenous communities, the sciences, the arts and business. You are invited to attend Unity Through Creativity's workshop on Friday, May 13 from 2:45-4:30 in the Youth Space at San Francisco's Palace of the Fine Arts. The conference will also be available virtually. We will be co-creating The Magical Window Singing Tree at the conference, led by youth. We are also excited to exhibit nine Singing Trees, four of which have not been seen by the public - The Restorative Justice Singing Tree,The Mahogany Singing Tree to Reunite Children with Their Families, The Ukrainian Singing Tree of Strength and Freedom and The Redwood Singing Trees of Holding Community Through Unity, seen below with Singing Tree Facilitators Leslie Rein and Dr. Sweta Chawla. This mural was made by 4th graders at Ocean View School in Albany, CA and will be receiving leaves and birds this week. Love the Yoda at the bottom and the turquoise giraffe.
Progress on the Ukrainian Singing Tree
We send love to all those affected directly and indirectly by the Ukrainian War. In the face of terrible violence, we pay tribute to lives lost and cities destroyed by small acts of creativity and beauty.
This video gives insight into the process and meaning of the project:
Kyangwali Singing Tree to Heal the Trauma of War
Thank you to all those who have contributed to this project. In the face of compassion fatigue, we ask you to remember those whose lives have been disrupted and scarred by violence, those who have been confined to refugee settlements for decades. The UN predicts that 120 million will be displaced by climate change and war in the next 20 years. The people at Kyangwali are our teachers. We are providing a creative space for them to express their wisdom and inner beauty. Please donate here and help Peace Building Through Art spread.
In closing, we would love to see you in two weeks IN PERSON if you are in the Bay Area or on-line at the Virtual Bioneers Conference.
Humbly and with love,
Laurie and the UTC Team