Open your hearts with Umbrellas For Peace

The McCord Gallery & Cultural Center (Illinois, USA) is inviting children and families of all ages to participate in a global activity that has brought people together for the common goal of making their world a more peaceful place.

The late artist Matt Lamb created the Umbrellas for Peace global art project after the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade towers and the Pentagon. In May of 2002 he met with 38 children of the victims of the terror attack, and they painted umbrellas using them to express their feelings of grief, and to find their hopes and dreams. A painted umbrella parade followed in Washington, D.C. , and since then over 2 million children and adults from 29 countries have participated in the Umbrellas for Peace program.

Matt Lamb often explained that he used the umbrella as a metaphor for protection,

"It does not discriminate and all people are safe under the umbrella. A closed umbrella lying on the ground is nothing, but pick it up and open it and the top becomes a shelter and can also be representative of hopes, dreams and aspirations. The underside of the umbrella can be a place to park your concerns and fears. The shaft of the umbrella represents the universal energy, which leads to the spokes that represent the individual’s strengths. Umbrellas for Peace helps children and adults use art to express their positive emotions by painting them onto the umbrella. The individual will artistically design umbrellas that represent their values of world peace. It teaches children peace, hope, love and creativity."

If you are in Illinois, USA, once again this program is being offered to children and adults of all ages. McCord art instructors will be on hand to guide the creative process.You can be part of it, enroll now by either stopping by the McCord Gallery & Cultural Center, at 9602 W. Creek Road (129th and La Grange Road) in Palos Park or phone 671-0648.

(McCord thanks the Great Lakes, Bank of Choice for its sponsorship of this project.)

Program schedule:

Four days to choose from with all classes running from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.: Monday, July 9; Wednesday, July 11; Monday, July 30; and Wednesday, Aug. 1.

Fee is $5 and includes an umbrella and paints. This project culminates with an opportunity for all to march with your umbrellas in the Autumn in the Park parade to be held in Palos Park on September 15th, 2012. This is an event that shouldn’t be missed.