When I first received the news that my quilted artwork was lost somewhere in Russia, I was shocked and saddened, not knowing that it was the beginning of a trail of miracles.
It was 1985, during the Cold War, and citizen diplomats were taking the global situation into their own hands. Michale Gabriel's children's group, Young Storytellers for Peace (YSP), was planning a tour of Russia and had invited textile artists to illustrate an image from a favorite story, which the group would display during their tour. Then, the fabric art would be given to an institution such as a hospital, school or peace committee, as a token of goodwill from American citizens.
'Rainbow Bridge to Peace' fabric wallhanging by Meryl Ann Butler
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
I had worked on my twelve-square-foot contribution, "The Rainbow Bridge to Peace," over several weeks. It had been inspired by an illustration from my daughter's favorite book, "The Magical Rainbow Man and the Journey of Love," by Shahastra. An image of a rainbow reached over the Pacific, across a velvet and taffeta earth, to connect the USSR and North America. Seven brightly colored satin hearts rose up over iridescent clouds, and a pair of white, dove-shaped buttons embellished the sky.
And now this art quilt was missing! YSP was diligent in keeping detailed records of all the quilts' whereabouts, yet somehow mine was clouded in mystery, although they suggested that it might have been given to the Odesa Peace Committee.
I was distressed about the loss of my quilted art, but I continued my involvement in citizen diplomacy initiatives. I contributed a quilted section to Justine Merritt's international peace project, The Ribbon International, and created "Global Peace Energy" which YSP gave to the Kazakhstan Symphony Orchestra.
'Global Peace Energy' series quilted fiber art by Meryl Ann Butler
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
A couple of years later, while serving as Arts Advisor for the Baltimore-based Committee for Improving U.S.-Soviet Relations, I went to Moscow and Odesa, Baltimore's sister city, on a citizen diplomacy tour. Ukraine was part of the USSR at that time. We met with peace-minded clubs and organizations and I gave presentations to groups of Russian artists, craftspeople and fashion designers on the powerful role of art and imagery in creating global peace.
Meryl Ann Butler in front of St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, 1987, just a couple of days before a German teen landed his Cessna a few yards away
(Image by Meryl Ann Butler) Details DMCA
In Odesa we visited many beautiful sites including the magnificent Opera House.
Front view of Odessa opera theater.
(Image by Wikipedia (commons.wikimedia.org), Author: Assedo) Details Source DMCA
We were entertained by costumed schoolchildren performing music and traditional dances.
One of the kindergarteners caught my attention, maybe because she looked a little like my daughter, who I was missing; I had never been away from her for long before this trip. The little girl posed for a photo, and I planned to paint her portrait--I didn't realize then that it would be the Russian invasion of Ukraine over thirty-five years later that would finally prompt me to paint it.
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