PEACE SIGNS OF VERMONT
In Search of Meaning, Art and Cultural Truth
Over the past year, Shawn Dumont, founder of the Shelter Cultivation Project, and his two young children crisscrossed Vermont’s winding back roads in search of peace signs and the stories behind them. What began as a spontaneous family adventure quickly became a deeper exploration of community, culture, and the enduring spirit of the back-to-the-land movement. Along the way, they discovered that these peace signs are more than symbols, they are living folk art, handmade expressions of hope and connection that quietly dot Vermont’s landscape.
Peace Signs of Vermont invites viewers to reflect on Vermont’s unique culture and the enduring power of the peace sign, a humble, handmade beacon of kindness that continues to connect people across generations and communities.
Michael Jager, creative director and founder of Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, beautifully captured the heart of this project, “A constellation of people, love, and curiosity... This collection of peace signs from every peak and valley and back road of Vermont could not be more relevant!”
This exhibition and its surrounding events are more than a local story, they are an invitation to unite our global community in a shared celebration of art, family, and the timeless pursuit of peace. In a time marked by uncertainty and division, Peace Signs of Vermont offers something joyful to hold onto, a chance to gather, to participate, and to celebrate the simple beauty of community.
Before bringing this project to the gallery, Dumont published a book about the family’s experience, chronicling their adventures, the people they met, and the quiet power of peace signs as cultural markers throughout Vermont. The photographs featured in the exhibition offer a visual companion to this written work, creating a rich, multi-layered portrait of place, memory, and community.
The exhibition showcases a series of photographs documenting the incredible peace signs they discovered along their journey. Through these encounters, Dumont and his children uncovered a living legacy, a Vermont shaped by those who came in search of a new way of life and stayed to build lasting, community-rooted connections.
“As we traveled, we realized we weren’t just finding peace signs, we were finding the spirit of peace still vibrant and alive in Vermont’s landscape,” Dumont said. “Eventually, we felt inspired to add peace signs of our own, a small way to carry this legacy forward. With the support of partners like Ben & Jerry’s, Burlington’s Intervale, Diggers’ Mirth Community Farm, Karma Bird House, Iskra Print Collective, and Solidarity of Unbridled Labour, we’ve been able to continue this work in a way that brings people together and strengthens the very communities that inspired the project.”
During the gallery opening reception, visitors are invited to participate in a free peace sign screen-printing workshop hosted by the Iskra Print Collective. This drop-in workshop will take place throughout the evening, offering guests of all ages a chance to create their own peace sign prints to take home, a hands-on celebration of the collaborative spirit at the heart of this project. As part of this shared experience, Ben & Jerry’s will also be on hand serving their legendary ice cream, seamlessly weaving their long-standing commitment to peace, social justice, and community into the gathering. Together, these interactive elements create an immersive, joyful celebration of art, family, and shared values.
We hope to see you there!
