Looking back on September 11, 2001

Looking back on September 11, 2001 and events through December 29, 2001, on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, this is an updated post that was on my blog on September 10, 2011. 

Like I said 15 years ago, I (still) hesitate to post anything 9/11 related since there’s so much in the media, and it was and still is very overwhelming, but because my contribution was visual I decided to do it again on this 25th anniversary.

Until around 2008 or so, I quilted my artwork, and part of that included my making a small art quilt each week from 1999 through 2005.

Out of the 356 small postcard size quilts I made in 2001, the twelve I made from September 9 – December 2001 were about what was going on in the world, but also a little about what was going on in my life combined with my thoughts about what was going on in the world.

On the back of each quilt I wrote notes about what it was about, but I think if you look at each image, you will be able to see and remember much of it (starting at the top left), from the World Trade Center being hit, the patriotism people displayed in response, "Operation Enduring Freedom" and the bombings in Afghanistan to target al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime, the letters laced with deadly anthrax spores that were sent through the US postal system, how our military looked for the terrorists while they were hiding underground and in the mountains, and the shoe bomber (remember him?!?!).

More New Work in Progress: Dates in a Life Walking Project 2026

September is blocked out on my Dates in a Life Walking Project 2026, a year-long painting where I document the number of steps I walk each day with different icons representing each 1000 steps. 

More New Work in Progress: Dates in a Life Walking Project 2026

When I retired from my day job in July, I changed the daily background color to Light Ultramarine Blue on my Dates in a Life Walking Project 2026, a year-long painting that documents the number of steps I walk each day. 

The picture above shows how many steps I walked in August. The red icons show the 19 days I walked 10,000 or more steps, and the 3 black circles are for 9000 to 9999 steps. This amount of walking (especially in the summer when I don't like the heat) is a huge increase over last August when I was juggling working, walking in the heat, and whatever life events that didn't give me time to walk as much as I would have preferred.

In the picture below, you can see January through August with plenty of room of the rest of the year.

 

New Work: 12 x 12 x 12 August 2026

This is 12 x 12 x 12 August 2026, a mixed media painting created with the monoprinted texture of a construction fence with large squares, hand stamping, collage, machine stitching, and stiffen it so it doesn't sag. I make one 12" x 12" painting each month as a time to play or experiment with an idea or technique.

Street Markings as Art

Recently there was an article in the NY Times entitled "Behind the Mysterious Symbols Spray-Painted on Our Streets," with the subtitle "All over New York’s sidewalks and sewers, colored markings hide in plain sight, telling construction crews where to dig and creating accidental art."

I was so excited to read it because I have been curious about the symbols and colors for a very long time, and even made a few small paintings about the markings I saw on my walks when I was working for a nearby city, and as I walk in my neighborhood.

Below is a screenshot from the NYT times, and below that three of the paintings I created in 2021.

There are new markings in my neighborhood now, and I am considering a new larger painting that incorporates my old and new photos of them.

Screenshot from the NYT times

 
Future AT&T Work #1, mixed media on 6” x 6" board, created in 2021

Future Utility Work #2, mixed media on 6” x 6" board, created in 2021

Future Utility Work #1, mixed media on 6” x 6" board, created in 2021

Micro Gallery 01760 Exhibit Ending soon

Saturday is the last full day to see my exhibit of eight small paintings at the Micro Gallery 01760 in Natick, MA. The gallery is outdoors on the wall on Adams St, in Natick Center, close to a lot of public art. The interior dimensions are 12” high, 29” long and 13” deep, which is perfect to exhibit eight of my nine Sewer Covers and the Sealed Crack Lines Around Them. 

The paintings incorporate photos of sewer covers in my neighborhood and the sealed crack lines around them. The sealing of cracks is meant to help prevent further damage on the street.

Some neighbors described the process of crack sealing as loud and as less than desirable to look at. I see it as mark making and find them inspiring.

The paintings include acrylic skins of the photographs collaged on monoprinted, painted and stitched construction fence fabric, painting, stamped dots, and more stitching on 6” x 6” board, created in 2021.

Electrical Boxes and Smart Meters

I painted this electrical box and a second one a foot or so behind it in May 2016. Now that they have new Smart Meters, and I have a lot more free time, I think I may give both boxes a good cleaning and try to remove years of dirt and the stickers people put on them.