Perish Project: Painting 67,000 Thumbprints for Gaza Peace

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Perish Project: Painting 67,000 Thumbprints for Gaza Peace

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October 22, 2025 - Thanks to everyone who has donated so far. We have made a few changes to the Project which we believe will enhance the mission. First, we have changed the time of our painting to 9:00 am Pacific time. Folks told us they were at work or doing mid-day events and having a morning session would be easier to view. Second, I am painting 100 prints per day, down from approximately 570 per day, as the number of prints was so large, I was again unable to comprehend the sheer number of those who perished. Painting 100 per day has made me feel more connected to those who perished, and trying to comprehend 100 seems to work better than over 500 ... and still counting unfortunately. Third, we have added original meditative music during the sessions, which now last about 15 minutes each. My husband, Kevin Culbertson, is a professional musician and has agreed to add original compositions to the sessions. I personally think this helps set an environment conducive to contemplation, meditation or prayer while we work on enumerating those who perished. Please keep viewing and if possible, please donate for paint and canvases. We very much appreciate your support, especially sending good vibes, as we continue to arduous task of remembering each individual - Israeli, Palestinian, other nationalities, mothers, fathers, children, journalists, volunteers, medical workers - everyone who perished as a result of the Gaza War. Thank you....


On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, I will be at Foothills Christian Church in Glendale, AZ at 4:00 pm for a short remembrance of the 67,000 people who perished - on the second anniversary of the war - bringing some of the canvases I've painted and inviting those who attend to place their prints on the canvas. We will meet at the stone labyrinth at the church.

I'm an artist and documentarian struggling to comprehend the number of people who have perished in Gaza's Hamas-Israel War. I commemorate each life by placing a tan (adult) or gray (child) thumbprint on canvas. All prints are the same, placed by date recorded, whether people were Israeli, Palestinian, migrant workers, international volunteers, soldiers, journalists, or others. This will account for over 100 completed canvases. For September, 2025, I have completed 28 canvases, over 15,960 thumbprints.

Thanks to our mighty team of donors, I am awaiting a bulk delivery of additional canvases and will resume painting on Facebook Live hopefully during the first week of October, 2025. All funds raised go directly to purchase of canvases or paint from Michaels and Blick. Funds will not be used for any political or ancillary costs. I go Live on Facebook M-F at 5 pm Eastern / 2 pm Pacific, and silently place the prints on the canvas.

This is not a political statement but instead a creative art exercise to visually demonstrate the sheer number of perished people (over 67,000 as of this writing). When completed, I intend to bring the entire set of canvases to partner sites and hold silent memorials of remembrance.

Watch me live at facebook.com/deb.culbertson and please partner to help visually bring this tragedy into the public conscience.

Please donate today. Thank you.

Organizer

Deb Culbertson
Organizer
Glendale, AZ
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