Launching "Operation Art Attack" : Palettes for Peace Project

The idea for this project has been rambling around in my mind for several months. As we enter the fifth year of the Iraq War, I feel compelled to "go public" with it. It is my attempt to light one small candle in the darkness. Like so many others, I feel angry and frustrated with the direction our country has taken since the devastating experience of September 11, 2001. I often feel powerless, like my one lone dissenting voice can never make a difference. Yes, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do" (Helen Keller).
As an artist, I know that art has the power to change lives. Creating a piece of art can change us as individuals when we express thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are too deep for words. Experiencing the creations of others can move us beyond our own small spheres of understanding and bias. "If art speaks clearly about something relevant to people's lives it can change the way they perceive reality" (Judy Chicago).