Peace and Joy
Two-Sided Acrylic Collage by Sue T.
Dark, fiery clouds churn above, thick with rage, division, and chaos that feel all too familiar. Fed by fear, power, and greed, they twist and consume. But they do not win. A rising sun breaks through. Its light pushes back the darkness not with force, but with presence. Flames recoil as warmth takes hold. This is a turning, as love and peace press forward with quiet strength.
Below, people move through the turmoil, not escaping it, but choosing differently within it. They turn toward love, respect, care, and empathy. In a world driven by outrage, this choice is courage. Peace is not passive. It calls us to pursue truth, seek justice, and care for one another in real, tangible ways. And within that choice, there is joy.
Buddhist monks walk among the people, sharing peace through presence. Flowers are placed in their hands and at their feet, simple gestures of shared humanity. At the center stands Jesus, not above, but among. People of all backgrounds gather. Everyone belongs. This piece challenges the idea that God belongs to one voice or belief. While rooted in my faith in Jesus Christ, I cannot confine the divine. God is larger, reaching across faiths and experiences.
Created on acrylic, the piece is experienced from both sides, while allowing light to flow through. On one side, there is peace and joy. On the other, your eyes are drawn into clouds of chaos, filled with symbols of division, greed, and distortion. Patriotic banners wrap around a cross with gold at its base, evoking hollow Christian pageantry, while money reflects faith distorted into power and spectacle through Christian nationalism. A file folder marked with an “E” holds redacted documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein, still veiled in secrecy and unspeakable acts. A red MAGA hat rests in gold, suggesting idol worship. The Constitution lies torn and disregarded. A bomb falls in Iran, carrying the chilling threat that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” In the lower left corner, a protester holds a sign in the pursuit of justice that reads, “Don’t look away.” It is a world shaped by fear, where some are diminished, others are cast as monsters rather than human beings, and power and greed grow unchecked. And it stands in stark contrast to what is possible. Peace is not passive. It is where love, justice, and joy rise together.
