Creativity fuels quest for peace in West Chicago
Published Apr 23, 2008
Attaining world peace is like trying to grab a rainbow, said Connor Fehrenbach, a third grader at St. Mary School in West Chicago.
When children glimpse the colorful object bending through the clouds in the sky, they are drawn to it and want to somehow reach it. “But, they just can’t catch up to it,” said the insightful 9-year-old boy.
Third graders at the school talked with the Catholic Explorer April 10 in the basement of St. Mary Church as they painted colorful images on small ceramic tiles. Young Fehrenbach painted a rainbow on one of his tiles as a way to convey his idea of peace.
The youngsters were participating in the school’s Peace Project. The entire student body was expected to take part in the project throughout the schooldays of April 10 and 11, Gail West-Hooper, coordinator of the school’s Fine Arts Committee, told the Explorer beforehand.
“They will be all-school art days,” she said.
Upon completion, the tiles will be mounted together to form a mosaic picture. The mobile “peace wall” will be displayed in the school, West-Hooper said.
A mother of three and a licensed social worker, West-Hooper said images of violence are present in movies, television shows and news reports. Bloody conflicts and terrorist acts are marring places across the continents, she added.
“Our peace wall is an exploration of the ways that people think about peace and use their unique gifts to make the world a better place,” West-Hooper said.
The project is not aimed at defending or criticizing political agendas or initiatives, mentioned West-Hooper. “It’s not about a debate,” she said. It is intended to simply highlight the contributions of peacemakers, she stressed.
Ideas, such as peace and justice, are quite difficult to express in words, said West-Hooper. “But, they can come out in artwork,” she said. Artistic creativity “comes from a whole different place internally.”
The peace project is a way to use art “to make a difference in some way,” said West-Hooper. She hopes the schoolchildren will discover “they can have a voice and a way to make change,” she said.
Parents will ultimately assemble the peace wall, said West-Hooper. She said the project is expected to be completed for the school’s May 17 art show. After the event, “We will be able to move it anywhere,” she added.
The peace display will “get everyone thinking in the right way,” said Sam Marsala, a member of the school’s Fine Arts Committee. The parent was on-hand in the church basement to assist the youngsters in placing images on the tiles.
“It’s a great idea,” said Marsala, speaking about the peace project. The plan is for the children to realize they can make a difference in society. “I hope people get excited about the images and get the idea,” he said. Marsala, a former steel worker, is now working as a substitute teacher.
Madison Kassaros painted a colorful sunset on her tile. “That makes me think of peace,” said the 9-year-old third grader.
Mariah Powers, 8, stopped from painting flowers on her tile to speak with the Explorer about the project itself. The spirited third grader asserted, “It’s a really good idea. I hope it inspires someone to make the world better. This is something I can do to promote peace.”
Ryan Sptiz, an 8-year-old third grader, drew the sun setting amidst tranquil ocean waters. “That’s peaceful,” he said.
Third grader Katy Granbom was quite focused as she moved her paintbrush back and forth upon her tile. The 9-year-old student was drawing a peace sign.
Granbom told the Explorer that the eyes and mouth she had painted within the symbol were the facial features of the Lord. “There won’t be peace without God’s help,” she said, remarking about her work. “Peace comes through him,” added the youngster.
Margaret Buck had a similar idea. She painted a peace sign with a halo above it. The 8-year-old third grader said, “Jesus makes me feel peaceful.”
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