the day our innocence ended

2022

H: 18 in  W: 31 in  D: 24 in 

On Sept. 11, 2001, our national era of innocence ended.  As a people, our sense of security shriveled, and fear and apprehension tinged the edges of our world-view.  Children who used to walk to the school bus stop alone, were now escorted by their parents—those who used to walk to school were now driven instead.  Folks became cautious and wary.  Fear and a need to punish someone or something led to unprovoked wars.  Racial prejudice increased, and gradually, we became intolerant of foreigners.  Our sense of self-protective fear became the root of increasing greed, and uncontrolled greed led to stock market collapse.  Political divisiveness increased, and cabals of extremism grew on both ends of the spectrum.  Now we have nationwide riots and an armed attack on our Congress.
On Sept. 11, 2001, our innocence ended, and our ways of thinking and acting and believing and seeing were changed forever; and not for the better.  Can we ever go back to the gentler, kinder, caring, accepting, courteous people we used to be?  God help us, I hope so.
In this piece, the events of Sept. 11, 2001 are represented by the Greek goddess Atropos.  She was one of three sisters known as the Fates; Clotho, who spun the thread of each individual’s life, Lachesis, who measured the threads, and Atropos, who cut the threads, ending the lives of people and gods alike.  The scene is sculpted from bass wood and locally harvested pecan and alligator juniper, with brass and stainless steel details. Finished with wood bleach, aniline dyes, colored pencil, and acrylic polyurethane.

$ 11,000