protest | A Peace of My Mind

Peyton Scott Russell

April 3, 2021 by johnnoltner

Peyton Scott Russell is a Minneapolis graffiti artist and street artist who painted a 12′ x 12′ black and white spray paint portrait of George Floyd during the curfew and installed it at the bus stop at the intersection of 38th and Chicago, where Floyd was killed by police on May 25, 2020. “Graffiti is the voice of people. I don’t want to go into it too politically because it really resides with the individual and what they’re trying to […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: George Floyd, graffiti, Minneapolis, peyton, protest, storytelling, street art

Maybe this time

June 3, 2020 by johnnoltner

On Monday May 25, George Floyd was killed by police at the intersection of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis. Because the COVID-9 pandemic had caused all my programming to be cancelled, I happened to be at home, 11.6 miles to the south. On Wednesday I went to see the site where a small memorial was taking shape and on Thursday returned with an improvised portable studio, a broken heart, and one simple question: “What do you want to say?” Over […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: a peace of my mind, Black Lives Matter, blm, change, George Floyd, justice, Minneapolis, photography, protest, race

I see you

May 30, 2020 by johnnoltner

I’m tired today. But I’ll go back out there. Because my tired is nothing in the face of the soul-crushing weariness I see in my brothers and sisters on the street. My tired pales when it’s held side by side with the frustration I hear in the voices of the people. My tired is no excuse when you begin to recognize the heavy burden that has been carried for days and years and decades of calling out and not being […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: a peace of my mind, George Floyd, justice, listening, Minneapolis, photography, protest, race, storytelling

Charlottesville

November 5, 2018 by johnnoltner

Yesterday was a driving day. From Parkersburg, West Virginia to Richmond, Virginia to pack up an exhibit at University of Richmond. We stopped at a rest area just across the border into Virginia and I looked at the map. “We’ll go right past Charlottesville,” I said. “We should stop and see if we can find the place.” It was just about dusk when we rolled in. 60 degrees and clear skies, which feels pretty good to a Minnesotan in November. […]

Categories: Blog • Tags: Confederate, counter protest, heyer, kind, Life, love, memorial, noh8, peace, protest, robert e lee, together

Dan Gallagher

March 7, 2018 by johnnoltner

Dan Gallagher served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967 and when he returned home, he was met with protests and derision. At first, he couldn’t feel proud of what he had done, or even talk about it, but as time passed, Dan found it useful to discuss his experience. When people thank him for sharing his story, he is only half joking when he replies, “No, thank you, because you gave me a free therapy session.” […]

Categories: Podcast • Tags: activism, army, common ground, courage, Missoula, montana, protest, relationship, veteran, vietnam, war

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A Peace of My Mind

Building community and bridging divides through portraits and personal stories.

Tag: protest

Peyton Scott Russell

Maybe this time

I see you

Charlottesville

Dan Gallagher