Contest: A Thousand Paper Cranes

Theme: A Thousand Paper Cranes
An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by gods. This has also become a symbol of peace, thanks to a brave little girl Sadako Sasaki who inspired and continues to inspire millions of people world wide. She was only two when atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima August 6th 1945. At the age of 11 she was diagnosed with Leukemia or the Atom Bomb Disease. She was told by her best friend a legend of the paper cranes so she began folding them, not only for healing and to be able to run again, but for the peace and healing of all victims of the war in the world.  She spent 14 months in hospital folding over 1300 paper cranes using any paper she could find, including wrappers of the medicines she was receiving. The monument was built to her in Hiroshima that has plaque which reads: "This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world."

I got introduced to Sadako when i was in 7th grade, we had to read a book "Sadako Hoce Zivjeti/Sadako Wants to Live/Sadako Will Leben" by Karl Bruckner, and since she has inspired me in many ways throughout my life.  I want to read the same book to my little one, hoping it will make impact to her life down her life. There are many writters which have written the story of Sadako.

Few days ago a Dooms-Day Clock, was set to 5 minutes to midnight, moved by 2 minutes foward due to increased threat of Nuclear war, by governments in shamefull search for money selling uranium to countries that are not signaturies of nuclear non-proliferation treaty, as well as other countries conducting nuclear tests and pushing in their desire to further develop nuclear arsenal.  For all I am concerned these weapons should never had been created. I think it is rather sad world where we develop the weapons that have the potential to end the world, the life, bring on destruction. I want to force all politicians, business and religious leaders to consider the impact of their actions, to remmember Sadako.  It would be great if we could all send a thousand paper cranes with our wishes to them, and make them realise the evil they are doing.  

Through this contest I want you to creating to make your wish, your thousand paper cranes, hoping this insanity would end, hoping that the people would be aware of consequences of their actions, the self destruction, or to bring hope, and attempt to change the world for more peacefull place.  (I know i sound here like a blonde trying out for miss universe) If one wishes to take me literarly they are more than welcome to make a thousand paper cranes and send them to be added under the monument of Sadako, or send them to your politician, but I do want to allow everyone full creativity of exploring this topic using the traditional media. It can be anything pretty much from a work depicting beauty and celebration of life itself to a work depicting the other end of the spectrum that is the consequences of the insanity of this world.

Judges: red-lightsooopy-doopyartfromsouldesigns *additional judges will be announced

Prizes:

1st Prize: 3 Month DA Subscription + feature in my journal
2nd Prize: 1 Month DA Subscription + feature in my journal
Honorable Mentions: feature in my journal

If you would like to contribute additional prizes to this contest please contact me, I will be giving out as much as I can afford at this point in time.

Also please note that the point of this contest is not winning, it is about sharing your work with rest of the community, as well as trying to influence the world to end this insanity.  It does not matter how skilled you are, what matters is trying, sharing and passing on the message. So everyone, all skill levels is invited to enter, it does not matter how old you are, how popular you are, how good you are, its important to participate.

Now the necessary thing the rules.

Rules
1. One entry per person, you are most welcome to additionaly submitt the works of your children as well.
2. Work has to be done purely by traditonal media (oil, watercolour, pencil...), I am not skilled enough in other media to be able to judge them.
3. Only types of digital manipulations permited are those that:
3a. try to match the digital picture of the artwork to the traditional artwork you have done (adjustment of colour, brightness, colours and levels, crop)
3b. borders allowed
3c. watermarks allowed
3d. no other digital enhancments allowed
4. Works suspected of digital work will be immediately disqualified, all judges will have to agree on this decision
5. Works have to be original done by you or as colab with someone
6. Prizes are not transferrable, in case of collabs please advise in advance who will be getting the prize in case of winning
7. In the Artist comment make a link to the contest journal, and mention this contest
8. to submit the artwork please post the link in comment under the contest journal and specify it is for contest, or send me a note with Title and link.
9. Artworks have to be made for this contest, old works will not be accepted
10. We reserve the right not to award the prizes if we do not find works suitable to receive it, (for example if i get only 1 entry for this and its a doodle it wont get a prize) all judges will have to agree on this decision
11. Entries close: 7th of March, Midnight, Melbourne, Australia time.
12. Winners will be announced as soon judges agree on the winner.
13. Entries not conformed to the rules will get one warning after which if they still do not follow the rules stated above the work will be disregarded.
14. All entries will be featured in the contest journal as thumb, as well as the icon of the author.
15. If you are unclear on any of the rules please note me and I will be happy to clarify.