Through exhibits, workshops, lectures, on-site studios, artist residencies, and distance learning, A Peace of My Mind leads transformative experiences that help a polarized world rediscover the common humanity that connects us. Whether you are looking for a 40-minute keynote or a week-long residency, we have the programming to inspire your community.
Exhibits
Transform your public space with our beautiful exhibits, featuring compelling portraits and inspiring personal stories from people of diverse backgrounds responding to the simple question, “What does peace mean to you?” Our four traveling exhibits are supported and complemented by public programming and additional online content.
To learn more about pricing and scheduling, please send us a note through our contact page.
Lessons on the Road to Peace banners
900 Days, 93,000 miles, hundreds of stories, one goal…in a divided world, to rediscover what connects us.
In the fall of 2020, award-winning photographer John Noltner and his wife Karen sold their home in Minneapolis and hit the road to live small, listen deeply and learn about who we are as a country. It is a journey that delves into difficult conversations about race, environment, identity and justice, but always with the goal of connecting with people who are finding creative solutions to our most challenging issues.
This exhibit features 58 color portraits with stories of reconciliation, peace and hope, gathered during a 2-1/2 year road trip across America. This exhibit is based on the stories in our fourth award-winning book, Lessons on the Road to Peace. 32 free-standing banner stands can be arranged in a three-dimensional display to fit your space. 1,000-5,000 square feet required, depending on configuration. Each panel is double-sided and is roughly 36” wide x 84” tall x 6” deep.
American Stories banners
This exhibit features 58 color portraits with stories of reconciliation, peace and hope, gathered on a 40,000 mile road trip across the United States. This exhibit is based on the stories in our second award-winning book, A Peace of My Mind: American Stories. 32 free-standing banner stands can be arranged in a three-dimensional display to fit your space. 1,000-5,000 square feet required, depending on configuration. Each panel is double-sided and is roughly 36” wide x 84” tall x 6” deep.
A Peace of My Mind banners
Our original banner exhibit features 52 black and white portraits with stories of reconciliation, peace and hope. This exhibit is based on our first award-winning book, A Peace of My Mind. 52 free-standing retractable banners can be arranged in a three-dimensional display to fit your space. 1,000-5,000 square feet required, depending on configuration. Each panel is single-sided and is roughly 36” wide x 84” tall x 5” deep.
A Peace of My Mind gallery prints
Our original gallery exhibit features 52 black and white portraits with stories of reconciliation, peace and hope. This exhibit is based on our first award-winning book, A Peace of My Mind. 52 canvas gallery wraps are designed to hang on your walls. 150 linear feet of wall space required. Each canvas gallery wrap is 24” wide, 36” tall and is stretched around a 1-1/2” wooden frame.
Keynote lecture – Lessons on the Road to Peace
Join award-winning photographer, John Noltner, on a journey of discovery and inspiration. Frustrated with a polarized world, John drove 40,000 miles across the country interviewing and photographing hundreds of people from all walks of life.
A multi-media keynote presentation shares John’s own story of following his passion, while at the same time revealing the wisdom of everyday Americans and their stories of hope, transformation and forgiveness. With portraits and personal stories, ordinary people reveal extraordinary insights into how we can work toward common good and create a world that is more just for all.
A Peace of My Mind represents John’s belief that art and storytelling have the power to transform our hearts as well as our communities and that we each have the power to create positive change in the world.
To learn more about pricing and scheduling, please send us a note through our contact page.
Workshops
Gallery tours
Spend time with the artist exploring the backstory of the people interviewed for A Peace of My Mind. Learn in depth how the portraits were made, how the artist connected with the individuals, and uncover more of the themes that were raised in the stories.
Guided dialogue and panel discussions
John Noltner is trained in dialogue facilitation through the Project on Civic Reflection and can lead panel discussions on a range of topics relevant to the social climate today. Panel members can be drawn from your own community or brought in from outside based on your group’s needs and interests.
Story Gathering/ Writing workshops
Writing workshops can be a powerful method for groups to explore their own thoughts about peace. From one-hour “flash writing” exercises to in depth, full-day workshops, writing can help explore and clarify ideas that have not been fully articulated in the past.
Artist residencies
Multi-day residencies allow communities to engage with the artist in a variety of settings, from structured classroom visits to informal gatherings and receptions. The interdisciplinary nature of the project allows for meaningful engagement with students in art, philosophy, history, civics, sociology, religious studies, and other disciplines.
Facilitated story gathering
Communities can engage deeply with A Peace of My Mind by using the project as a model for their own explorations. Let John Noltner help you gather stories from your own circles to create parallel projects. Through mentoring and training exercises, groups will become familiar with interviewing and editing techniques and be guided through the process of creating their own oral history project.
Guest Lecturer for Classroom Visits
A Peace of My Mind is an interdisciplinary project that offers multiple connection points
on campus. Common campus programs that John visits include conflict resolution, civic responsibility, faith, leadership and social change; social sciences, communications, art/design, and business.
On-site studios
Let A Peace of My Mind help you gather and share your stories. Our onsite studios capture portraits and 25-word stories from your own community in a unique and interactive event. We will help you craft a compelling question, operate our self-contained studio for a day-long session and gather up to 100 stories from your conference, campus or community.
The studio output can be produced into a video and incorporated into John’s closing keynote talk for your group.
The result is a powerful body of work that helps us to see ourselves and our peers in new ways.
To learn more about pricing and scheduling, please send us a note through our contact page.
Training video
Through our new training video, we offer a unique personal and professional development experience of hearing diverse and inclusive stories and guiding people through sharing their own stories to build compassion and connection.
There Is Only Us with John Noltner is a powerful training video designed to address how we can bridge divides in a polarized world. Featuring memorable stories, powerful images, and sincere storytelling, this video will open the door to honest dialog about empathy, civility, and inclusion.
There Is Only Us was created to generate conversation. It is a thought-provoking and inspirational film reminding us that we are more alike than different. Featuring timely stories, John’s authentic style highlights the importance of being more inclusive. This team-focused program offers a safe place and process to have challenging, but necessary, conversations on ways to create a more empathetic culture.
This 20-minute video comes with a 30-page discussion guide and allows you to lead your own programming based on the stories from A Peace of My Mind.
The video is available through our partners at Star Thrower Distribution.
Distance learning
In the era of social distancing, we are learning new ways to engage communities. We offer virtual keynotes, online workshops, Zoom-based Q&A sessions and remote story gathering. The world is changing fast. We are here to find solutions. So if you have something in mind, reach out via our contact page and together we will find a way to help you tell your story.