The Missing Peace inspires Montgomery College Students

Art Students Find Peace

This past fall, The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama inspired art students at Montgomery College in Maryland—even though the exhibition was in Miami, Florida at the time.

Montgomery College Drawing Professor Lydia Davis, familiar with the Dalai Lama and his work, ran across the Missing Peace video on our website. The video, shot at the Frost Art Museum in Miami, gave Professor Davis an idea.

She would give her Introductory Drawing students the same assignment that the Missing Peace artists were given: examine the Dalai Lama’s message of peace.

First, she showed the students the Missing Peace video and assigned other Dalai Lama videos and texts. Then, in the span of two weeks, the students discussed the themes as a class, worked in small groups, and interviewed friends and relatives about peace, forgiveness, and love.

They were asked to create a piece of art reflecting what they learned, presenting their own message to the world.

“This was a very positive process for everyone,” Professor Davis said. “The Missing Peace project challenged students to ponder the meaning of love, peace, forgiveness, compassion and diversity and how these concepts apply to their own lives.

“Students in their late teens and early twenties are inundated with information, stimuli, and distractions—this was an opportunity for them to really do some thinking. They really focused on how to find peace within.”

Montgomery College, Drawing I, Fall Semester 2011:

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