Liberty Rings on 9-11

9-11 Liberty Rings

I arrived at midnight, NYC, sight of the Twin Tower terrorist attack. It was the fourth anniversary of the towers fall and Bin Laden’s freedom from capture. NH to NY was a driving challenge, daunting navigation and distracting sights flooding this driver from the granite state. It was dark and when it became necessary to ask directions, I was a stones throw away. My mission was to paint the energy of the Towers location and anniversary, to channel my concern about the Bush administration. Whether my art is true is for the viewer to decide, but in the act of painting, I can say with first hand knowledge, that liberty is alive and well in NYC. Let me explain why Liberty rings on the anniversary and at the site of Bin Laden’s attack.

Some people are rightfully concerned that after the attacks, because of all the fear of terrorism, America is turning into a police state. I have been a vocal critic of the Bush administration and have never been harassed or intimidated by locals or law enforcement. I attributed this to NH, especially northern NH, being small enough that people who knew me, knew I was not a terrorist who would resort to violence to overthrow the government or some kind of psychotic. When I told my friends and neighbors that I was going to NY to the site of 9-11, to use my art, to attack the president, some predicted I would be arrested. Most thought I would not be allowed within close proximity to the site because of security. I can report that they were wrong.

I found a parking place adjacent to the wtc lot, now a construction site, and cased the location for a good spot to paint. I informed several of the many police present for security that I would be walking across the street with a 4’x8’ panel and painting until 7:00 o’clock. Because the panel was awkward and heavy I did not want to carry it far and at 7:00 AM a parking ban would force me to move my truck but that gave me plenty of time to paint. I leaned the panel against the gothic Iron fence surrounding the old cemetery across the street from the former twin tower skyscrapers. My first impression was a feeling of familiarity because the cemetery was on raised ground and reminded me of the raised old cemetery beside the little white church in our town of 180 residents.

I learned to paint using a radical technique called Vitreous Flux developed by the White Mountain artist David Baker in 1993. To learn more about this technique, google, Baker and Vitreous flux. David developed this style of painting in the mid sixties around the time his representational style of art contributed to the phenomena of UFO’s. Google, skeptic ’ Eyes That Speak’, for a detailed description of Baker’s influence on the UFO phenomena. I was drawn to Bakers technique as a tool for exploring the depths of imagination. It wasn’t until years later, I find out about Bakers connection to UFO"s. Could Baker’s new technique be a tool for exposing the Bush administration? I was about find out.

I pulled out a tube of Da Vinci Prussian Blue, applied it to the specially treated panel, sprayed water and began to paint. This was followed by a tube of Rose Madder. Once paint is applied it is worked and removed with a fine hair brush. I chose a unique brush I had just purchased with a glass handle. I bought it with the intent of editorializing the painting. I wrote Bush Lies using the brush to blend the words with the paint so that it would take a minimal amount of effort to read but still be part of the art. As I painted people would stop out of curiosity and ask about the painting and I was ready with my response.

A group of four young New Yorkers were the first to ask, they were obviously in good spirits, apparently on their way home from drinking. They asked me about the painting and another asked if I played the fiddle which was sitting on the granite curb holding back the cemetery. I replied that if they could tell me what the message of the painting was, I would play the fiddle. They were game and after a few moments one cried out ’ Bush Lies ’. That’s right I exclaimed and pulled out the violin and played ’When Johnny comes Marching Home’. Can you put my name in the painting? the happy young man asked. Sure I responded, What is your Name? As soon as he told me his name I wrote it, Rich, right above ’Rove Treason". When they left the young man skipped down the block singing " My Name is in the painting, My name is in the painting".

An old lady with dark skin and deep lines in her faced pulled up along side me as I painted. She appeared to be living off the street, a homeless person wandering the street at 1:00 in the morning. We engaged in conversation and I was impressed with the shadow she cast on the painting. Don’t move I exclaimed as I outlined her shadow in the painting. She left with a sparkle in her eyes. As she departed I picked up my fiddle and played ’Ashoken farewell’ a waltz associated with the Civil War.

For seven hours I played the fiddle, painted and engage curious pedestrians in conversation. People took pictures of me and the painting. One young man took a picture of the painting with his cell phone. The painting was taking on a life of it’s own reflecting the sights sounds and shadows of NY. The whole time I was there not one person challenged my right to paint what I wanted or to say what I wanted. As I drove in I had caught a glimpse of the statue of liberty and drew her likeness in the painting. The yellow and pink rays from her torch formed into a cylinder or letter I, the observant viewer will make out the words ’I Love NY’ directly across from ’Remember 9-11’.

I am writing this after watching Bush’s response on Sept. 12 to the resignation of FEMA director Brown, to the point, Bush was caught in a lie. He said he was unaware of Brown resigning and had not discussed it with him. Brown gave a statement that left it clear that Bush knew he was resigning and had discussed it with him. Now some in the beltway may split hairs and say Bush was technically not lying. In NH we pride ourselves in being straight talkers and Bush’s statement as far as I am concerned was a lie. Now I could claim that the painting was psychic in predicting that the very next day the media would catch Bush in a lie, but I would argue, it is a pattern.

I would like to thank the people I met and our conversations but especially for the law enforcement for being vigilant in defending liberty and not treading on a somewhat eccentric concerned citizens, right to paint and speak. It is easy to defend someone you agree with but the true test is to defend the right of someone you disagree with. I did not stay for the ringing of the Liberty Bell but I can say first hand that Liberty is alive and well.

Bin Laden can try to stop Liberty with terrorism but he would be better served to go back to his cave and we’ll send Bush to join him.

My next project will be to paint what’s left of NH’s fallen granite face ’The Old Man of the Mountains" and I will see what he has to say. Then to Washington , to the Lincoln Memorial, on to Boston’s Bunker Hill, on to Philadelphia etc..... ’Let Freedom Ring’!!!

P.S. The painting is on display at a local establishment and others will follow.