Synthesizing the Design: Initial Thoughts

I'm working now on trying to integrate the different ideas from the mandalas and the brainstorming session, and I keep reaching two conclusions:

1. The mandalas are beautiful and should be united with the self-portraits.
2. The main quilt can't include all the mandalas and self-portraits and still be the right size for the wall.

I think that the solution for this is simultaneously very simple and a lot of work:
two quilts!

The first one will be made from the mandalas and the self-portraits, as a kind of signature from all the work of the dialogue meeting. These beautiful mandalas should be sent as part of the project, even if I can't figure out how to integrate everything in them into one design.

The second one will be the "actual" quilt, designed with the space in mind: 7' high, 9' wide, with slightly muted colors to harmonize with the interior of the Center. It'll be a large scene--sketches forthcoming--that works with these ideas: tears, free flowing water, nourishing green growing things, people living side by side, people passing on inspiration, transformation, broken barriers, and an olive tree.

Right now, I think the border will be a variant of the Walkaround pattern, which will represent both "living side by side" and "a chain of hope, passing into the future."

The center portion is tougher. I've sketched and resketched it several times now, but I think I'm coming closer. An olive tree grows above a pool of water, nourished by two flowing streams. It'll be framed by an arch, as if it were an opening in a wall or a scene from under a bridge. The arch will have silhouettes of two cities--probably in reds and oranges--from which tears of rain fall into the main scene, into the two streams.

I'll try and get a sketch up this weekend. Please comment and critique this idea!