On Weaving a Tapestry of Hope
My goal as an artist is to inspire people. Yet, whenever there’s the chance to create my “Tapestry of Hope”, the people attending the event are the ones who end up inspiring me. This is how it unfolds…
At the Tapestry event each guest is invited to name and talk about a woman who brought hope into their lives. One by one, they then choose a scarf from dozens of folded multicolored scarves, to represent that person in the tapestry.
Although one could construct this piece alone, it becomes a force of unity when formed by others. The stories told are by turns amazing, uplifting and poignant. The final tapestry reminds us of all of their tales, and how those women can inspire all of us.
After the last scarf is woven in, I give each guest an LED candle, darken the room, and we pray gratitude for the women represented there.
When the lights go back up, everyone has the chance to take pictures in front of their creation. Folks who had been strangers exchange blessings and contacts. And to my delight, those people from all walks of life form a community of hope. As one guest said, “I haven’t been to an event such as this in an eternity.”
For me there is no higher calling as an artist than to inspire stories and encourage joy. Below you can see a 20 second time-lapse of an entire “Tapestry of Hope” event. May we all find a way to weave hope into one another’s lives!
Patrice Donnell
Leave a Reply