Last night the History channel ran videos captured by those in and around the collapse of the Twin Towers. I was watching it with my 19 year old granddaughter and her college friend. Caroline and Lindsey were 10 years old at the time the Towers were struck and collapsed. Both of them have visited New York and the site often since then. Both were intently interested and horrified by what the videos showed. I decided to show them and explain my painting, which mirrored the scenes they were seeing on TV. The photo of this famous scene was in all the newspapers the day after 9/11.
I was struck by the fear and dazed looks on faces--the papers everywhere--people helping each other. Mostly I was struck by how the ash and dust coated everyone's clothes and faces, camouflaging all ethnic, racial, and religious differences--the figures looked like sculptures to me. I wanted to paint them, but I was too distressed by the horrific event to pick up a brush . So I put the newspaper away and found it 7 years later. I contacted the photographer, Gulnara Samoilova http://gulnarasamoilova.com/ and got her permission to paint her amazing [ and courageous] photograph. I am so honored to have sold this painting to the mother of an Iraq War soldier who had returned from his 2nd tour in Iraq. He was feeling that his service was not understood or appreciated. She gave it to him as a thank you and as a reminder of the reason for his mission.
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