I came across some work in a sketchbook I was keeping at the time that has only been seen by a handful of people. So I really wanted to post it here. I was with coworkers finishing a conference in Ukraine when the planes hit. I lost count of the days while I was waiting to come home, sitting in a tiny hotel room glued to cable news channels. Like so many others a world away, I was in anguish, hopeless, helpless. I drew the following image in my sketchbok. Weeks later when I was home, I photocopied and photoshopped in images from magazines and newspapers I collected in Kyiv and the airports on the way home.
I was asked to write about the experience for Spirit Newspapers. I also collected a bunch of neighbors' and family members' experiences for the paper. You can read the article by CLICKING HERE.
I have a few other images from that sketchbook. They all lack focus and none are complete. I was so depressed afterward, it took me a while before I really wanted to draw. However, the long flights home to Frankfurt, then to Philadelphia were so stressful. Everyone on the planes thought everyone else was a terrorist. So I had to do something to keep my mind occupied. I couldn't wait to be home. I drew this escapist piece of two drunk dogs staggering home through the streets, singing. Sadly, given what just happened, this was my idea of Heaven at the time:
3 comments:
I really like the top image, jeff. Really captures how many people felt with the media bombardment of the event, as well as dealing with the stress
Thank you, Katie. For the first couple days, we were basically on house arrest. For our own safety, we were put on a sheriff's protection list, so all we did was sit in these rooms and watch BBC World and CNN. I felt like I was going mad for a minute.
Jeff,
I had no idea about this. It sounds harrowing to say the least. Thanks for sharing this.
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