Nesting for Peace

Nesting for Peace is a worldwide public art project, calling for peace. It is the creation of Karin Baumeister-Rehm, a well known artist living in Apex, North Carolina, USA. The project uses birdhouses decorated as individual works of art and containing messages of peace from around the world to symbolize the message to all seeing them.

The project was conceived in 2007, with the first installation accomplished at the Apex Chamber of Commerce offices on 10 March 2008. Starting in Apex, this solo show will stand on a global basis, encompassing the length and breath of the planet for the good of all. It reaches out every being with a message of peace in hope of touching the collective mind in a way to bring about some small change in our thinking.

Nesting for Peace believes peace is a goal we all share, regardless of other needs, desires, and emotions. Peace can come in many ways, but regardless of what we believe is the way to achieve it, we can all come together in a single purpose to symbolically add our voices to this end. We can create a shared vision and message to be spread around the world for the good of all everywhere.

Further, Nesting for Peace recognizes art is a powerful means to carry a message. Art knows no specific language yet encompasses all languages at the same time. Art speaks to all of us on a very deep and instinctive level, reaching to the center of our hearts and minds to touch our souls. Nesting for Peace uses the immense power of art to bring messages of peace to the world.

The birdhouses placed by Nesting for Peace are decorated as an individual works of art, making each a unique and one-of-a-kind object to be enjoyed for its own merit as well as for the message it carries. No two birdhouses are the same. Each is suspended from copper wire, formed into the most attractive means to hang the birdhouse, and provide the most protection and safety from predators to the birds within.

Personal messages of peace are important, and indeed central, to the Nesting for Peace project. Through a website and letters, short messages and thoughts of peace are being collected from individuals, associations, and governments throughout the world to form a universal call for the peace the world deserves. Nesting for Peace feels the many roads to peace should attract a great diversity of messages since each of us has our own unique ideas of how to achieve the goal. These messages are printed on acid-free, biodegradable paper, and one is placed within each birdhouse as starter nesting material to provide a comfortable and safe place for the young birds to grow to full maturity.

Nesting for Peace birdhouses may be installed virtually anywhere in on the planet. The yards and gardens of private homes are a natural choice, but public parks and the grounds around public and private buildings will provide those using them for their deliberations and/or business to show they also stand for peace throughout the Universe. This is a project for all to participate, reaching each of us now, and succeeding generations of the future, in a very personal manner.