“Societally, I hope we can bring about an environment where people, regardless of how close they are, can open up and speak about harder, personal topics.”
“The whole process. I didn’t expect to get good results from my art, but what I got exceeded my expectations.”
“The feelings and emotions evoked when someone’s portrait first appeared on the screen.”
Blossom into this new adventure
The many unknowns may excite you
So grab ahold of His welcoming, guiding hand
Don’t you worry, it’s all as planned.
Right, left, up and down the path may go.
And when the trail begins to slow,
You reach a stump where roots still show.
The tree once stood through storm and sun
Its life now told in rings of one by one.
Tracing the circles, worn and wide
Each mark a year he’s lived inside
The joys, the fears, the time you grew,
The storms you faced and carried through
In quiet pause,
You start to see those rings reflect the man you are today.
A life well lived, still standing true.
And somehow now it’s guiding theirs too.
Schuyler Impens – Photo and Poem by Raylee Saunders
God sends me many sorrows, but also butterflies
Through both He gives us love
I was saved from my ship when it capsized
I have glared into the snares of the Snake’s eyes
I felt Christ’s hand grab my soul and rescue it from the Constrictor
With perseverance we will receive our crowning, and become victor
Like the caterpillar, in Him we become new creation
The old has gone, the new has come in my formation
Rejoice! Because I am His newest butterfly.
Raylee Saunders – Photo and Poem by Schuyler Impens
A helper of many
With vibrant thought
She’ll smile at any
With cheerfulness wrought
With hard earned
Understanding
She will lie down in pastures green
While speaking truth
Loved, protected like a queen
Helping others in their youth
Surrounded and surrounding
those who love her
most
Running careful, thoughtful every step
thinking of the next matter
Step by step, moving intentionally
accompanied by loved ones
Exploring nature
unfolding the story of the world around
Change isn’t something you can stop.
The past isn’t something you can change.
Things stay still in the memories
Of our past as we move forward.
Each day shapes us.
Days are highs and low.
People come and go
And some stay.
Those who stay we cherish the most.
Influence us the most.
even when we don’t know it.
The memories and moments
With those people make
life’s journey complete.
His laughter is easy,
His smile is bright
Curiosity and wonder
Pull him into delight.
Though entrapped he feels
Confined by thoughts so deep
In a dark jungle
The critters do creep
The birds screech
The monkeys scream
The gorilla shouts his battle cry
But a few steps more
Then the trees he can ignore
Gentle waves, now they call
Beckoning.
Eyes will tell
Reluctancy discarded
Barriers transparent
If you just listen
Eyes will tell
Fears, futures, failures
Love, loss, one day your
Eyes will tell
And I can tell
Deeper through the gaze
Gratitude overflowing
A love greater
For a Father all-knowing
A personality so strong she
won’t back down from any challenge
even when it’s difficult
A heart so brave she can
persist through constriction
even when it’s too much
A smile so warm she inspires
others to be brave
even when it’s scary
A memory so present
she will never forget all who came
even when she was dressed as a fairy
A mind so calm from the breeze
and rocks of a hammock
surrounded by nature
even amidst the chaos
A love so pure and joyful she will bring light to every sorrow
even when it is not her own
Scratchy grass beneath your
thighs, the wind cooling down
your sunburnt neck
Lavender scented and a sweet musk permeate the air
A graham cracker crumbles,
chocolate espresso numbs your tongue
Trials and temptations crisply
highlighted, dotted freckles soaking
In the golden sun
Comfortable silence, easy acoustics
whispering through the wind
Forest green reflections
spring up in groves, blooming
affirmations from family, friends
and father.
Purpose found him in
neighborhood friends and newfound
faith as boredom is kept
at bay, not afraid.
An eager explorer, and curious
wanderer, discovering virtue
through mistakes and
friendly faces.
In the outdoors, active
motion drives him
as he runs with all
he holds close forever.
Oldest son of three
in a divided household
Living through joy and a purpose through harmony
Is curious of others’ stories and how they’ve grown
Discovering wonders and learning to love and support
While handling his struggles of his own
Music and community helps him thrive
Escaping reality with games and activities
With help from a joyful relationship with his mother
It’s moments like this that make him feel alive Music, games and peace
help us become who we need to be.
Isaac McKeag – Photo and Poem by Paddy Jacobs
Along a fog smothered trail
He ponders the destination and what it might entail
Looking back through the hazy curtain
He feels as though this path was always certain
While it turned and twisted and tumbled about
The journey sometimes felt like falling backwards as if the ground had suddenly fallen out
Now looking forward with the summit in view
The course opens up with the trees glistening with dew
There is an unsettling confidence that this is what he was meant to do
Aleks Hoffman – Photo and Poem by Kyron Saunders
He walked through months of stormy skies,
When tempers flared and patience dies.
A long, gray season, heavy and near,
Each day a battle of doubt and fear.
Sometimes scared of standing alone,
A quiet fear of losing hearts well known.
Though somewhere inside a boy still dreamed,
Of thunderous roars and contrails white.
Airshows blazing in summer light,
Each loop, each dive, a whispered call
“You were meant to fly above it all.”
Clouds of anger thinned away,
Waking to the blue of a brighter day.
Where planes and rockets are born to rise,
Hope and fear flying together through endless skies.
The boy and the man, his spirit free
Building the future he dreamed to see.
Kyron Saunders – Photo and Poem by Aleks Hoffman
Love takes on many forms.
The same tonsils that hold frustration, a tight lump in the recess,
hold the scratching resonance of laughter.
A sore throat, proof of a heart on a sleeve.
An eager student of physiology.
The body intricate
parts exposed and parts protected.
Those tucked away often most vital for life.
God hear me.
God hear me.
God hear me.
Is it true, God? You feel deeply, too?
Lexi King – Photo and Poem by Ashlee Mortenson
shout your worries towards the trees
mourn your losses in the leaves
ivy, pine trees, poison oak
critters scramble
fireflies glow
in the darkness, one thing’s sure
the crickets sing
the bullfrogs groan
whispers travel through the breeze
the hum of nature brings me peace
Ashlee Mortenson – Photo and Poem by Lexi King
The old timey scale
Oscillates to reach tranquility.
Weight supports weight
Mass fights mass.
But balance isn’t this simple.
Self-worth is bound to the significance of action.
Focus on one aspect and
The other always seems to get pushed away.
Reset your focus, and a new aspect takes the spotlight.
How does one live in the present
When the past and future are so alluring?
Push away the past
Push away the present
Push away the future
And you are not whole.
Balance is not this old timey scale.
Responsibilities are not a stationary bar of gold,
Interests are not a cluster of rubies.
Oscillate to yearn for tranquility,
It will never be reached, it will simply be approached.
Ezra Mathew – Photo and Poem by Joel Siegel
only child
but not alone
two parents
plenty of friends
born in Cali
at home in KC
tried every sport
but none fit
found his true passions
taking photos
playing guitar
off to college
learn
grow
enjoy
live in the present
go with the flow
one day at a time
Joel Siegel – Photo and Poem by Ezra Mathew
Sam’s Path
Under the stars again,
Speaking our minds
Who am I with?
An old friend or new?
On a gravel path,
The moon lighting our way
How long will this last?
Who will I walk with next?
Sam Wheeler – Photo and Poem by Ryan Bronson
Ryan Richard Bronson
Living life at his own pace
Walking, not trying to win the race
He sits in the moments
Observing life and its complex components
Ryan Richard Bronson
King of the ducks
Content with life, not searching for its crux
Champion of intentionality
Humble with a servant mentality
Ryan Richard Bronson
His poncho keeps him warm
Never afraid to break the norm
Counselor and listener of all
Leaning on Christ, knowing he won’t fall
Ryan Richard Bronson used to wonder who to be
Ryan Richard Bronson knows and he is free
Ryan Bronson – Photo and Poem by Sam Wheeler
And so she’s created, a small yellow spark
Born from a mighty coal in a hearth mostly dark
Ignited by laughter and joy without ire
She now ventures forth embracing her own arc
The flame dances onto nearby pieces of wood
Can she visit them all? She hopes that she could
No terminus set, nor one does she desire
There’s plenty of time left to see all the good
Each log that she visits, her warmth is imparted
She hopes it stays lit after she has departed
No need to fear going out for this little fire
She can always rekindle at the place where she started
Our ember moves boldly, not seeking acclaim
Just to be warmed by love, she wishes others the same
And she hopes hopes hopes that what soon transpires
Is a roaring fireplace engulfed in bright flame
Cate Whitehead – Photo and Poem by Derek Probst
An old man makes a paint brush.
He dedicates his life to his craft.
He loves everyone and stands up when something is wrong
In the long drive of life he takes the colorful way home.
Protecting his family and bringing light to the world.
He creates something beautiful along the way.
Every day he hammers and he carves.
Until all that is left is a perfect paintbrush
He claims not to be a paragon but everyone sits and stares
At the beauty he created.
He asks will you be my friends for life?
They say we are with you till the death.
At last he sets down his tools and looks at his paint brush.
He has fulfilled his duty.
Derek Probst – Photo and Poem by Cate Whitehead
Students and young adults, ages 14-29.
No, there is no cost to be a part of the project. PEEL is funded by a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant.
The experience takes 2 1/2 days – 2 full days creating the poem and photograph and a half day for the final reveal. We try to schedule during school breaks for our students or, for days later in the week/weekend.
No, we will be using professional Nikon digital cameras. Without the instant convenience of a phone, digital cameras help participants engage more deeply—seeing, observing, and capturing the essence of the person in front of them.
And you don’t need to know anything about using a camera. We have professional photographers who will be giving you camera training and, you’ll also have a facilitator with you during the process to help out and answer questions.
No poetry experience needed! Most of our participants have never written a poem before. We make it fun and as easy as possible to get started. We have a poet onsite and facilitators walk you through a variety of poetry exercises to get you warmed up and comfortable with the process. Plus, you can meet with the poetry team, ask questions and get advice at any time.
No, we provide meals, drinks and snacks for the duration of the project. If you have food allergies or preferences, we do our best to accommodate those.
