Peace Project Art Exhibition 2025-2026

I made it my business to see the Peace Project art exhibit at the Isias Gonzalez-Soto Branch Library located at 280 Porter Avenue on the West Side of Buffalo. This exhibit showcased the artwork of Buffalo Public School students from #212 Leonardo DaVinci High School, #61 Arthur O. Eve School of Distinction, #95 Waterfront Elementary, and #54 Dr. George E. Blackman Early Childhood Center. The curation consisted of framed wall art by elementary school students and ceramic tile art by high school students.

I first viewed the ceramic tiles made by students from Leonardo DaVinci High School. There were 20 tiles on display, all of which look to have been broken and put back together with the intent of creating beautiful artwork. The cracks or lines formed on the tiles when fixed are painted over with either silver or gold paint, a technique based on the Art of Kintsugi.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of using powdered gold, silver, or platinum to repair broken pottery. Also known as Kintsukuroi, the philosophy behind the technique is to not disguise the breakage, but to highlight its repair as part of an object’s history.[1]

Each tile was individually intriguing from backdrop colors and design to the metallic lines that lead the eye in different directions. The lines painted in gold or sliver reminded me of a handprint. When we look at the palm of our hand, there are different lines going this way and that. Some patterns look the same, but just like a fingerprint, no two are exactly alike.

Painted with alcohol ink, each tile reminded me that just as we are all unique in our own way, so are our lives. I sensed a general theme of being broken and put back together better than before. Also, we each have our own struggles, some that may seem small to others, but are ours to experience and overcome.

As I viewed each piece one at a time, I allowed the time and space for personal meaning to surface. When that meaning entered my awareness, I moved on to the next. Some pieces reminded me of the earth, gardens, and a beautiful rose. I saw beauty, pain, and healing in many of these pieces. Each tile embraced the beauty of life with all its obstacles.

After viewing the ceramic tile art, I changed my downward gaze up to view the framed wall art of various mediums made by elementary school students. The grades of the artists from Arthur O. Eve School of Distinction, Waterfront Elementary School, and Dr. George E. Blackman ECC range from 1^st to 6^th grades.

Every elementary artist rendered ideas that relate to peace in their work. I saw artwork with forests and rainbows, simple but meaningful pencil art, and a dove set free. The artwork displayed shows that no matter what age, peace means something to everyone. From these young students we can learn or be inspired to do something new.

I admire the presence of mind of all the Buffalo Public School artists’ in writing such meaningful and universally applicable quotes and reflections on what their work symbolizes and means to them. Every commentary gave me a boost of confidence and encouragement, as I am sure was intended.

The exhibit is from December 4, 2025 through January 9, 2026 during regular library hours. Click the Isaias Gonzalez-Soto branch library link here for hours and other happenings.

Thank you for reading my article. I have included some pictures of the artwork and their descriptions including artist and teacher names.

Kudos to the teachers for encouraging these students to express themselves through art. Kudos to the students for sharing your art with us. Thank you to everyone involved with this exhibit, from the Buffalo Public Schools staff to the staff at the Isaias Gonzalez-Soto Branch Library.