THE CHILDREN OF GALILEE COMMEMORATIVE PLATES

The 20 cm fine bone china plate features real children from Israel. The six-color printing process yields vibrant colors. The 22-carat, hand-gilded double gold rim completes the design. Edwardian Fine Bone China in England manufactures the plates. Edwardian, established in 1946, also manufactures Commemorative plates for the British Royal Family series. The fishes and loaves on the back of the plate show a fish from each direction joining the circle. The inscription tells about the Children of Galilee. Each plate is numbered and features the Edwardian seal of quality.

The Children of Galilee Commemorative Plate emerged from collaboration of three individuals: Father Elias Chacour, Mary McAliley, and Connie Erickson. Father Chacour, the founder of the Mar Elias Educational Institutions, reviewed the process and offered the suggestion of the eternal peace symbol. Mary conceptualized the project, envisioned the image, photographed the children in Israel, and created the design. Connie Erickson interpreted the design and painted the image.

Connie Erickson began her professional portrait career in 1987 after leaving a Nuclear Medicine Chief Technologist position. She has received numerous recognitions for her painting. In June 2000, she won Honorable Mention in the American Society of Portrait Artists Festival at the National Academy of Design and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Connie’s commissions include six portraits of the founders of the Grand Ole Opry, five college presidents, and the Albert Schweitzer-Bach painting used by Vanderbilt University to promote Symposium 2000. Connie donated the painting featured on the Children of Galilee plate to Father Chacour and the Children of Galilee and now hangs on the school campus. The painting will be used to increase awareness of the work for peace at the Mar Elias Educational Institutions.

...feed my sheep. John 21:17