A Child's View from Gaza

There's excitement in the air about "A Child's View from Gaza" the exhibit of drawings created by children in Gaza.

#1) There is now a video featuring many of the drawings on youtube.It hasn't been up for three weeks and has almost 4,000 hits. It was created by Rajie Cook with technical and creative collaboration from Thomas Francisco. The children's drawings are powerful and the video makes them even more powerful....dramatic and upsetting. Every time I watch it it brings tears to my eyes. If you haven't seen it, I have the link below. It is well worth watching and passing on to your friends
.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byn4Byyya48
This link is new...URL originally given was replaced. 


#2) The exhibit is preparing to travel to Maine for a February show in Brunswick at the Curtis Memorial Library. Tomorrow I will be taking 15-20 drawings to be matted....they'll be added to the 15 shown in Vermont, creating a stronger exhibit. The exhibit is being sponsored by Maine Friends of MECA and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.   


#3) MECA, the Middle East Children's Alliance, is interested in having it come to the San Francisco Bay Area. That will probably happen in April or May. It's hoped they will arrange for a number of venues and even take the drawings into schools.


#4) I'm trying to arrange for children in Gaza to create additional drawings. Additional drawings will make it possible to have two exhibits available.This will certainly make marketing to venues much easier. Drawings in each exhibit will be similar with equal impact. Should you be interested in hosting "A Child's View from Gaza" or want additional information, please email: achildsview1@gmail.com.   


So, I will be active once again with and for Gaza. It's exciting to see the drawings on my dining room table once again....even if it leaves little space for eating. The children's artistic skills are amazing....in many of the drawings emotions jump off the page. War's destruction, horrors and the fear they cause are always visible, I'd forgotten the impact they have on me....I do not know how the people in Gaza maintain such dignity and resilience in the face of horrendous treatment. And what is it doing to the children? How can the not be bitter and angry? They've seen and experienced way too much....the damage they've suffered will remain with them.