peace ... rising through the ashes of war

I have started my ALaW year with my alphabet for peace. 

Rather than create a beautiful and peaceful feeling I have chosen to create my peace ... rising through the ashes of war.

Upon the dark & brooding background - which can be a metaphor for either war or the long dark night of the soul - peace in many languages speak out. Without wanting to destroy the image I have designed some letters I originally created for a piece of work which now resides in Portland, Oregon ... and pierced them into the ashes.

I have not worked the whole alphabet yet as the piercing is slow.  They will come on a week to week basis but I have created the words of peace.  The gold cross symbolises the PAX symbol - my schoolgirl motto. You see here peace in French, Javanese, Vietnamese and Dutch with my little ceramic peace crane watching overhead.

The materials used are 300gsm hot-press paper, brush, pen, gesso ink, gold leaf on miniatum gold size and pen white.