This year marks the 36th anniversary of the International Day of Peace, established in 1981 by the United Nations. Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace.
In 2012, Sedona received a proclamation from the United Nations, making it the 35th International City of Peace.
This year, the International Day of Peace will focus on engaging and mobilizing people throughout the world to show support for refugees and migrants with Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.
In Sedona, the public is invited to take part in Every Day Peace, a special Sedona citywide art exhibit curated by Linda Goldenstein, through Thursday, Sept. 28.
Every Day Peace officially opened at Goldenstein Gallery on Thursday, Sept. 14. A guided peace meditation led by renowned artist and speaker Sherab Khandro will be held at Goldenstein Gallery on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 9:30 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
Stretching across five locations throughout Sedona, Every Day Peace locations include Goldenstein Gallery, Sedona City Hall, L’Auberge de Sedona, Sedona Rouge and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Sedona City Hall Plaza holds 17 outdoor pieces: Life-size and monumental sculptures by internationally renowned artists James Muir, David Phelps and an interactive bell garden featuring the reclaimed metal bells of Cheston Trammel.
A painter and sculptor, Khandro wishes to inspire the hearts and minds of others. She is one of a handful of early Western artists to receive formal training from Buddhist masters in exile in the United States, bringing forth traditional sacred art in the way it has been done for centuries. Using the neo-impressionist style of pointillism, her paintings resonate with purpose: Tiny dots of color create vibrant imagery. Every dot is offered as a blessing to end suffering in the world. The power of presence can be viscerally felt in her work and flows into paintings and also encompasses her sculpture and intentional jewelry line.
As an extension of Every Day Peace, Khandro will be featured in BudART, a Los Angeles exhibit that highlights the work of artists whose art is a living representation of meditation. The exhibit will be held Saturday through Thursday, Sept. 16 through 21.
Allegorical art is a term Sedona artist Muir uses to describe his art as being filled with symbolic meaning. His meticulous attention to detail, coupled with an insightful grasp of the human experience results in exquisitely crafted and poignant bronzes.
Placed near the Peace Pole at City Hall, James Muir’s poignant “Children” sculpture epitomizes this year’s U.N. theme. Fleeing before the storm clouds of war, a little refugee girl, herself still merely a child, gives comfort and reassurance to her own doll-child. Through it all, she reflects the uncertain innocence and trust of all children inheriting a world not of their making, yet, filled with the hope of creating a better future. In addition to Sedona City Hall, a life-sized special presentation of “Children” is part of the permanent collection at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland.
Muir is completing a monumental bronze, commissioned for Sedona’s Chapel of the Holy Cross, that will rest on the interior window cross. The maquette bronze sculpture of this poignant piece can be seen both at Goldenstein Gallery and the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
Visitors to Every Day Peace are invited to play Trammel’s stunning series of sculptural reclaimed metal bells at City Hall and other locations.
Visit GoldensteinArt.com for more information on their artists, artwork, citywide satellite exhibits and artists in residence. Sign up for the monthly e-zine or call 204-1765. Open daily, Goldenstein Gallery is at 150 State Route 179, at the corner of state routes 179 and 89A. Recently named the best place to shop in Sedona by USA Today’s 10 Best, Goldenstein Gallery is known for its diversity of world-renowned local and regional artists in all media and styles.
