Last September I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a gathering of amazing people from all over the world. It was called "Connecting For Change" and it included some of the most innovative, creative, brilliant people I've ever met. Each one with a story so powerful I felt very honored to be there and be a part of it.
I made connections with several people there that I believe will continue to unfold into interesting and fulfilling opportunities for years to come. I also had the pleasure of reconnecting with some of the women Nobel Laureates that I had met through working with Peacejam, and also to see Dawn Engle, the founder of Peacejam (along with her husband Ivan Suvanjieff).
One of the connections I made at Connecting For Change, however, has already brought to fruition a dream that I've had for a few years now.
As I was attending a luncheon during the C4C conference, I was sitting with Lynn Twist (author of "The Soul Of Money") and I began telling her my story about having created these five guitars for "Peacejam", a wonderful organization near and dear to my heart, that puts winners of the Nobel Peace Prize together with high school aged kids and creates a most incredible opportunity for mutual inspiration. Peacejam helps to create a basic sense of direction and purpose for the kids lucky enough to be exposed to the powerful stories and a connection to the Nobels.
So, in 2006, on their 10th Anniversary, I brought to Peacejam 5 hand painted Taylor guitars. I ended up getting all the Nobels to sign the back of each guitar...including Archbishop Tutu and His Holiness! After the Peacejam Anniversary Celebration there was a lot going on for the founders and staff with 10 or 11 Nobels to get back to the airport. So I put the 5 guitars into climate controlled storage in Denver. There they have hibernated since 2006! Not really knowing the best way to auction them off and being very busy myself as an independent, world traveling recording artist, I just waited to connect with the right person to help.
So I tell all this to Lynn, who is smiling as I finish my tale. She points across to the other table and says: "Why don't you go introduce yourself to that gentleman over there? He founded Ebay!"
So of course I did! And it has led to a wonderful thing happening....the guitars are going up for auction on Ebay Dec 7-17th!
Please pass this along to everyone you know who may be interested.
We'd love to get the word out about the guitars....! Here's some info on them as well as a poster showing some of the Nobels signing the guitars....which are truly collectors items--and also are very fabulous playable instruments, with the exception of the white one, painted by an amazing artist McKay Otto--he felt compelled to silence the voice of the guitar for peace.....it's an incredibly moving piece of art...as are the other 4 guitars!
Read the Peacejam Guitar Story HERE.
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