September 11 Never Ends

Today is the opening day of my exhibit commemorating the victims of 9/11, I hope I have succeeded in honoring their sacrifice and letting those left behind know they will never be forgotten.

Opening reception - Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021 - 4-6 p.m. Gallery Hours: M-F 10-5.
Closing Date - February 11, 2022


Marian Graves Mugar Art Gallery, Sawyer Center, Colby Sawyer College, New London, NH

The work weaves grief, remembrance and healing into The Power of Remembrance, a multimedia installation of fiber sculptures, felted vessels and hand-pulled prints honoring the lives lost in 9/11.

Never Forget 9/11

I am not sure how to approach this day because I am here and so many have lost their lives. I can only imagine what their families are feeling and hope that my work does not offend anyone and gives some peace to those who view it. It has been a journey. Unfortunately, my work will not be complete due to my husband having heart suregry which delayed my process….but without his support I could not have doen this project.

In my many years of flying I was fortunate to meet so many wonderful people-after retiring from Continental I went back to work in 1997 for United. Flying was not always the glamourous but the great people I came in contact with made it worthwhile….from the crews, passengers and the many cities, museums and countires, made it all good! Today my heart breaks for all those familes…..

Boston Crew # 175

Work in progess, The Power of Remembrance

Processing the events of 9/11 -healing through my art practice

Studies have shown that expressing oneself through art can help people with anxiety, illness and/or loss. It is more about the process of creating and not the product that helps artists cope with emotional struggles. Art becomes a form of meditation, it has been reported that the repetitive actions of art actually bring on a response similar to the physiological “relaxation response”.

Initially I struggled with the idea that the work resembled a totem, though once I looked up the meaning, I felt more comfortable with the form.

Wikipedia: A totem (Ojibwe doodem) is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system.

The 4 cylindrical forms are symbolic of the 4 airplanes. I am still working on the structures….as life got in the way! My other half ended up having heart bypass surgery which put a stop to my process. Hopefully this project will be complete for 9/11, if not…..it will continue.

There has been much support in vessel making-I am in need of 35 vessels- 1 for each employee killed. Yesterday I had a zoom session teaching a few people how to make felted vessels. I supplied the wool, flax etc., it was the first time I taught something on zoom…..Roe Macuga Thellman from Beaver, Pa, made her first felted piece! Roe and I flew together years ago!

A vessel is a hollow form…..both the 4 cylindrical forms and the felted wool vessels are containers-

Merriam Webster Dictionary: A vessel, a: ship or large boat. b: a person into whom some quality (such as grace) is infused.

First of four

Ro Macuga Thellman’s vessel

Decision making

As I was trying to figure out HOW…..do I make this about honoring and remembering rather than the grief that we have felt. This was a struggle, so many things went through my mind. I would go through materials given to employees of United, older work I had done and research materials. Initially I wanted to duplicate the doves from the memorial service for the 35 employees, I sculpted a dove out of fiber which eventually changed into the vessels one for each employee in white wool with a little navy flax.

So much experimenting to get it to honoring rather than showing the grief that has existed for so many…… Please bear with me as I am tech challenged but would like to put this out while I am making this project has consumed me for years so now is the time and I am hoping it will be finished for 9/11. My hope was to show it for that day but with COVID creating a back log in galleries and public spaces-it will be delayed in person until October. In all honesty, I had to make this for me and all the others grieving for their loved ones and the event that changed our country.

Putting it out there.....the Process

For those of you who know me, you know it is difficult for me to put this out there. I have been working on this project for about 10 months, researching materials, formats…..and mediums. This is a sensitive subject for so many. With that in mind, I have not put this out there until I was sure of what and how I would be honoring those who were killed on 9/11. In my research I began writing what type of feeling I would want the viewer to acheive…..

Ethereal

Doves….There was a memorial service for employees of American and United Airlines at Boston City Square Plaza for the company employees killed. Bette Midler sang the “Wind Beneath My Wings” and one dove was let go for each employee.

Silk….Delicate yet Strong

Knots and Weaving……Connectedness

Wool…Corporeal, physical

THis is how it all began with 2 bolts of silk organza. Initially, I decided to tear approximately 3,000 strips of silk, 1 for each person killed, I started with the first bolt tearing strips to the average height of a person. As my project progressed this has changed and other fibers have been incorporated and constructed.

Along with the silk these are some of the materials used

My First Post- The Power of Rememberance

For years I have struggled with the thought of honoring my colleagues from United Airlines where I worked in Boston as a flight attendant. How could I best honor them??? With the 20th anniversary approaching I decided it was time ……

In my practice as a visual/multimedia artist, I have documented stages of grief over the past 20 years, post 9/11. Studies have shown that expressing oneself through art can help people with anxiety, illness and/or loss. It is more about the process of creating and not the product that helps artists cope with emotional struggles. Art becomes a form of meditation, it has been reported that the repetitive actions of art actually bring on a response similar to the physiological “relaxation response”.

This project began three years after the attacks when United offered a company wide leave of absence. At that time, I entered a BFA program at Massachusetts College of Art and unknowingly began documenting my responses to grief and trauma. 

One of my first handpulled prints-Carborundum, drypoint monoprint. I was new to printmaking, I decided that I wanted to make a print for each of my United Airline colleagues who died on 9/11. The series was never completed but today with the 20th anniversary approaching I have started this blog to document my process for the project I am working on-honoring all the victims of 9/11.

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