9/11 MEMORIAL SERVICE HIGHLANDS N.J.

One week ago today I was dreading the 9/11 Memorial Service that was to be held in our town park.  We were to view two beautiful marble statues and stones with the names of all the deceased carved into 4 stones large half boulders.  This was created by the artist Steven Shaheen and the Memoria Project.  There was also displayed a a twisted steel artifact given to the town by the World Trade Center Museum.

Being reminded of this tragic day and the part our town played in the recovery  was not something I looked forward to.

I went anyway, and it was a beautiful ceremony.  The town really rose to the occasion.

As an artist I am keenly aware of the affect visual reminders have on people.  I needed to create my own tribute painting to resolve this matter in my heart.  Above is my watercolor pictorial of the day.  After 9/11 itself I created an oil on canvas painting that is now displayed in the gallery of the
National September 11th Memorial Museum online  at

http://registry.national911memorial.org/view_artist.php?aid=254

Two Boys Seabright Evening of 9/11

WHAT I FOUND IN THE MESS

While cleaning up after hurricane Irene I came upon a soggy plastic bag containing  crocheted doillys.   In the work of rescuing and  washing  I had time to consider them more fully.

Those doillys  were part of the creative legacy passed on to me from my grandmother, Jennifer Citarella.
As I  lay them in the sun to dry, blocking and arranging them I could picture her hands doing the very same thing.  Those hands that spent their evenings crocheting while watching professional wrestling on her 14 inch TV.  I remember she created table clothes and bedspreads and many delicate and intricate things of beauty.

How did those items get relegated to a plastic bag?

Clearly there was much joy in their creation, all unique and beautifully thought out.  Hand made gifts for her progeny.  Doillys may be out of fashion, but her gift of creativity has been passed on.

Thanks Grandma.

TRYING TO GET BACK IN SWING

                                                            Sunflower House                                             Watercolor 16x20
So, my studio made it through the storm in tatters.  Before we evacuated I removed all my work and almost everything of value.  I am fortunate in that respect.
Everything else needs to be reorganized and rearranged.  Two and half feet of flooding makes for a little bit of a mess.  I feel confused and sad when I try to make some headway.  Baby steps are the only way to move forward.

I am working on a fun little painting.  I passed a house in Long Branch yesterday.  The owner had planted giant sunflowers around the perimeter of the front yard.  It looked like it belonged in a storybook.  I just had to get out and take a picture.  Guess what!  The actual photo was no match for what I had in my head.  I just know I can improve on mother nature for this little picture.