Marya Mann : Blog : Fighting Back With Rainbows

Fighting Back with Rainbows

Aloha Visionary, Healer, Artist, and Friend,

My heart was drumming in the key of thrilling as we arrived seaside at Old A’s Beach in Kona. The stakes for ArtWavEs felt as high as the molten plumes of Kīlauea Volcano.

After months of planning, we were preparing to launch our first-ever Peace Arts Academy Teacher Training.

Instead of feeling the peaceful edge of Zen, we felt more on the edge of a cliff, with our nation and island in peril.

Then came the storm. Before we could set up, the wind nearly cartwheeled a seven-foot easel down the sand like a cheerleader on too much coffee. Sand flew into our eyes, raindrops baptized our brushes, and Lara’s dress became a kite that almost cast her aloft!

And yet… amid the chaos, we opened the circle with drumming, song, and plumeria flowers. We remembered that peace begins within.

And something beautiful happened. Families stayed and played. Children laughed. “Art Fairies” carried paints and markers across the sea of golden sand. Red and purple hearts appeared on canvas and paper. Painted rainbows unfurled across prepared surfaces.

Indigo Moon, a young artist from Hilo, created five paintings without batting an eye at the gusts of wind.

Maryellen, who organizes Kona Indivisible, filled her poster with Lady Liberty fighting fascism. Koakane kept spirits high with a soft, steady drumbeat. Others chanted happy heart songs with Tibetan bowls, all reminding us why we were there: to make peace visible, colorful, and alive.

The focus on peace of mind began to wander a bit as my long hair flew sideways in the gusting winds. Nothing was as easy as we had hoped. And prayed. But it wasn’t supposed to be this hard, was it?

At first, I could hear the gentle swooshing of the tide and giggles of waves, but that was soon overwhelmed by high-pitched sounds in the wind. My legs spasmed and ached from tramping back and forth in the sand. Did I pull a hamstring bringing materials to the ocean’s edge? I wanted to scream with the pain. And then…

The joy of this magical peace painting moment stirred something deep. Artists sat serenely on the sand, immersed in Nature and Art like two sides of one starfish. The awe of intentional creativity smoothly navigated through visible and invisible worlds. Some arose again and began to dance, stretching their bodies in sinuous streams of flowing movement. In rhythm with the waters and the wind, pain and worry melted. Peace became very alive, present, at home in the world.

While the impending weather had kept some painters at home, those who came had heard a special call in the invitation, which read: “Your song is your magic word. Your paintbrush is your magic wand. We are the Painting Party.”

And especially this: “Join us for a new kind of party, bigger and more powerful than any other because we are the party of the Luminous Energy Field, a flowing field of infinite love.”

One family drove 90 miles from Hilo just because, the Dad said, “We never get out, but this felt like a yes! We wanted to be here!”

Massaging the new reality into existence with every breath, brushstroke, and Peace Flag or Banner that people like you and our ArtWavEs (AWE) graduates make, our dreams are coming true!

“Understand that energy flows where attention goes,” our teachers say. “You hold the future in your hands! Everyone is an artist, and when you paint your peaceful reality, watch as your life and the life of the world changes.”

Then, just as we thought we’d have to pack it in, the clouds parted. A miracle. A moment. A massive rainbow suddenly arched over our circle, glistening with so much light that we all fell silent.

In that sacred hush, we knew: even in chaos, beauty has our back.

That’s the heart of ArtWavEs. We use art, movement, and song to transform storm energy into peace energy. From Hawai‘i to Illinois, Missouri, Utah, and even Ukraine, our gatherings have proven again and again that peace is teachable, contagious, and joyful.

But here’s the truth: demand for Peace Arts Guides (PAGs) is rising faster than the heartbeat of a newborn. Communities, schools, art centers, temples, and churches sense that AWE is an idea whose time has come. We need more hands, more hearts, teachers, mentors, and leaders. That’s why our online Teacher Training is launching soon — to prepare the next wave of peace-builders.

Here’s how you can get involved right now:
1. Watch & Share our 90-second video: Watch ArtWavEs Mission Now
2. Volunteer in Kona, HI: Serve food and make art with underserved children. Tuesdays. Call 808-345-0050.
3. Support National AWE: Connect with Susan in Illinois (618-518-0253) or Lara in Utah (980-408-9182).
4. Donate: Keep the Peace Wave growing: Donate Here .
5. Teacher Training: Be part of the next wave of PAGs. Details coming soon at www.pacificartwaves.org.

As Carl Jung said, “The world has sold its soul for a mass of disconnected facts.” We are reclaiming that soul with art, love, and community. Every Peace Flag, every song, every rainbow moment helps us paint the future we long for.

Together, we can transform despair into delight and fear into love. That is the power of AWE—Art, Wonder, and Energy.

Will you join us in fighting back with rainbows?

With gratitude and aloha,
Marya
Founder, Pacific ArtWavEs

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P.S. Just like that rainbow over Old A’s Beach, your interest is a sign that we’re on the right path. Whether you give, volunteer, send positive intentions, or step into teacher training, you are part of this wave. Every act of generosity helps turn storms into celebrations—and children into peace painters.

We invite your support.

We can’t do it without you. It takes a village. Click here to encourage Children for Peace by contributing now and learn more about our mission. Find ways to ignite your creativity, get involved, and nourish your descendants at www.pacificartwaves.org