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Art4Development.Net has been working with artist and educator Lars Hasselblad Torres (member of the Art4Development.Net eCommunity) to help create awareness on HIV/AIDS and the vulnerability of children in this global pandemic. The international development arts project, Peace Tiles (PT) aims to bring communities together to help create dialogue and solutions for those affected by AIDS. Art4Development.Net supports the project in terms of international communication as well as conducts PT workshops in the Washington DC metro area.

To learn more about how you can create a Peace Tiles mural click here.

Why do a 'peace tile'?

Peace Tiles create opportunities for people of all ages to share in a fun and educational art-making activity to produce murals that bring inspiration to communities in need, locally and globally. Peace Tiles have already been used in a variety of ways, commemorating World AIDS Days since '05 and the process has received widespread praise from participants.

What is a Peace Tile?

Each Peace Tile is a cause-related artwork created by YOU for a development theme such as AIDS, children in conflict, education or poverty. The tiles are 8-inch by 8-inch wood panels which has mixed media collages on its surface. Each tile is intended to give expression to the maker's experience with the issue at hand, or send a message of hope and inspiration to those whose lives are directly affected by the issue. When combined with others, Peace Tiles create vivid, magical and uplifting murals that are installed in partner sites around the world. Eventually, the Peace Tiles will yield various kinds of fund and awareness-raising products that could include interactive Flash puzzles, posters, postcards and greeting cards.

How will you do the Peace Tile?

The tile-making process raises awareness about a development-related issue by engaging individual of all ages and groups in a fun, invigorating and expressive art activity. You may do the tile alone and participate as an individual or conduct a group workshop to help increase participation and diversity.

First start by collecting memorabilia, various items of interest from around the home, whether of historic, sentimental, or artistic value. These items can include photographs, news clippings, letters or other hand-written items, stamps and strips of cloth, brightly colored paper and any other artifacts.

STEP 1: PREPARE YOUR WORK SURFACE. Cut your wood panel to 8-inches by 8-inches in size. Wipe down the surface of the wood with a weak mixture of soap and water to remove excess dust, etc. Allow your tile to dry in the sun or air about 10 minutes.

STEP 2: CREATE A BACKGROUND. Using any combination of paint, colored markers, pastels or even paper (for example a newspaper photograph) or any other available media, create a background for your collage. Let stand to dry up to one hour if you have glued paper in your background.

STEP 3: ADD THE FOREGROUND. Using liquid glue and a paint brush, carefully wet and mount foreground objects like a photograph, a handwritten note or poem, a piece of colored string or cloth, a postage stamp from your country, and other artifacts on the surface of your tile. Let stand to dry up to one hour. And then YOU are finished... Be as creative as you wish. No limits.

How can you join the project?

You can become a partner, sponsor or conduct workshops. Anyone can sponsor a Peace Tile workshop, either around one of Development and Art's campaigns, or by identifying one's own theme by signing up on the Peace Tiles website. By registering to convene a Peace Tiles workshop and listing on the calendar of events, all sponsors will have access to basic specifications and instructional materials as well as the opportunity to create "swaps" and "murals" with existing Peace Tile partners around the world.

'Swaps' are simple personal exchanges of Peace Tiles similar in spirit to the tradition of pen pals. By browsing the online database of Peace Tile participants, anyone can identify individuals by issue, geographic location or at random and initiate a Peace Tile exchange. This kind of activity is especially appropriate for schools, churches and similar institutional settings that enjoy global outreach and exchange.'Murals' are large "curated" works that are shipped to locations in need or sites sponsoring public awareness-raising activities. Tiles from many locations are arranged as large works of varying scale that can be easily shipped and installed around the world.

To learn more about the project and/or sponsor a peace tile event please contact Lars Hasselblad Torres, Coordinator at lars@tagstudio.net or visit Peace Tiles site.

Additional Materials for Organizing a Workshop and Press Release for WAD:

Arts For Global Development, Inc.
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