American LOVE Project_115

Item

A poster titled "How is LOVE taught? How is non-violence learned?" featuring pillars of a project and diverse artwork expressions.

Title: American LOVE Project_115
Alternative Title: American LOVE Project
Creator: Karen Blessen
Date: 2021-2022
Description: The image is a poster titled "How is LOVE taught? How is non-violence learned?" from the "29 Pieces American LOVE Project." The top section features a circular red sticker labeled "29 Pieces" and several paragraphs of text, including quotations from historical figures. Below is a section titled "Four Pillars of The American LOVE Project," with four illustrated pillars labeled "1. The Ideas, 2. The Ideals, 3. Art Has The Power, 4. Words of a Greater Love."

The lower portion showcases various artwork in a section titled "BRAVE VOICES." The pieces include colorful and abstract designs with accompanying text emphasizing themes of love and creativity by different individuals, each credited with their name and location.
Identifier: 2021_010621 to 2022 060222_The American LOVE Project Journal
Dates Completed: January 6, 2021 - June 2, 2022
Keywords: Insurrection; January 6; US Capitol; Texas freeze; Infrastructure fragility; Political instability; Power outage; Water disruption; Internet loss; Medical services disruption; Mail delay; Dallas weather; Lorraine Lienemann; Cancer; Grief; P. Nut; Sparky; Cat loss; 22-year-old cats; American LOVE Project; 29 Pieces; Violence response; National project; Art installation; Washington DC; Covid resurgence; Online gallery; Student art; Educator art; 24 states; Team collaboration; Project outcome; theamericanloveproject.org; Anne Frank; Diary takeaways; Lessons learned; Studio visit; Darryl Ratcliff; Journal viewing; Strategic shift
Transcription: "29 Pieces
Monumental Change
Monumental Art

How is LOVE taught? How is non-violence learned?

"Perseverance is more prevailing than violence; and many things which cannot be overcome when they are together, yield themselves up when taken little by little" - Plutarch, from Parallel Lives, Early 2nd Century
How is LOVE taught? How is non-violence learned?
Little by little.
Enthusiastically.
One beautiful heart at a time.
This is the strategy of 29 Pieces.
But we need more.
The American LOVE Project began as a response to the violent January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.
Today, as we close this chapter of the LOVE Project, we are faced with the horror of gut wrenching murders in Texas. Fourth grade children and their teachers in Uvalde were gunned down by a troupled 18 year old with deadly weapons. Days ago, citizens in Buffalo, NY were killed by another 18 year old with guns.
We grieve all of these precious lives lost to colossally senseless violence.
In 29 Pieces we work little by little to plant seeds of love and compassion. This is impactful work - done patiently.
See the Brave Voices Art below.
We must ask more of each other.
How many more children, friends, fathers, and mothers will die before we codify the sweeping changes in gun laws that most of our citizens want?
The Four Pillars On Which 29 Pieces Builds
1) The IDEALS in the founding documents of the United States of America set the bar high for the vision of liberty and justice for all;
2)Agape LOVE is a deep, serious love - for all. It is the connective tissue between these ideals and the reality of a compassionate, just nation.
3) ART is our creative vehicle to awaken and engage hearts and minds and plant seeds of love;
4) the WORDS of great visionaries, poets, social justice activists, musicians, writers and faith leaders descrive their experience of all encompassing love and show us the way.
Impact: The American Love Project
3,790 artworks accepted to The American LOVE Project online gallery.
25 states, the District of Columbia, and four countries are represented.
313 art educators from across the nation participated.
In-person exhibits at Dallas Love Field Airport, the American Airlines Center, downtown Dallas at the intersection of Main and Akard Streets, Grand Prairie, Washington DC, Lanesboro, MN, and many more schools.
Large Screen digital exhibits of art at Dallas Love Field Airport and at the American Airlines Center, Dallas.
See theamericanloveproject.org
"Who has not found the heaven below
Will fail of it above.
God's residence is next to mine,
His furniture is love."
-Emily Dickinson, American poet, 19th century
The Furniture of Love
Many Hands built the "furniture of love" for this project. Our heartfelt THANK YOUs are below.
Our vision and hope
That every artist who participated in The American LOVE Project, every person moved by a piece of art will be that compassionate individual who will appeal to what is best in human nature in all around them. - With love, Karen Blessen, 29 Pieces

Four Pillars of The American LOVE Project
WE LEAD WITH LOVE. THE VERY ESSENCE of love is embedded in all four pillars on which The American LOVE Project is built. From How love repairs and heals, to words of a greater love, expressed by many. Past and present.
1 LOVE REPAIRS AND HEALS the divides that separate us and keep us from working together to solve urgent problems in our country.
2 THE IDEALS contained in founding documents and laws of the United States of America challenge us to create a more just country for all.
3 ART HAS THE POWER to awaken and educate hearts, uplift our voices and inspire positive social change.
4 WORDS OF A GREATER LOVE from great philosophers, musicians, poets and peacemakers speak through time and remind us of the spark of love in each of us.
Rights: To inquire about usage, please contact Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
Is Part Of: American Love Project
Relation: Image Gallery