Remembering Sept. 11:
Baisley Park Children
Etch Out A Vision Of Loss And Hope

By Michelle Sellers

Up from the ashes of disaster, the children of the Baisley Park Community Center have burned out an image of hope and a symbol of strength surrounding the image of the Twin Towers.

Using newspaper photos for models and wood burning as their art tool, 12 children raging in age from 11 to 16 have created an image that tries to capture both the horror of the terrorist attacks and spirit it brought out in the City and the nation.

 The young artists all attend the Baisley Park Community Center After-School program and with the help of local artist Eric Thomas, his wife Teresa and Brenda Pearson of the Baisley Park Community Center, the children participate in daily scheduled arts and crafts activities. Since September, those arts and crafts have offered a chance for the these young artists to  vent some of their pent up feelings over the terrorist attacks.

Using newspaper photos as models, the students burned images of despair and hope into a block of wood, creating a piece of art that reflects the pain of Sept. 11, and the patriotic spirit that developed in New York in the months following. PRESS Photo By Michelle Sellers Children from the Baisley Park Community Center proudly display their artwork, which depicts the emotions they felt following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. PRESS Photo By Michelle Sellers

Currently located in Building 3 of the Baisley Park residential housing facility, the artwork captures images of the pivotal moments of Sept. 11. It includes sketches of President George Bush and then-Mayor Rudy Guiliani as well as the faces of disbelieving passersby who watched as the planes strike the buildings. 

The images range from comic super heroes to real-world heroes from the Fire and Police Departments, from babies and butterflies to the tears of the mourning.

And in places, red, white and blue accents the bare wood to capture  the patriotic unity many Americans felt.

The artwork is the creation of Tatiana Walker; Faye Howe; Tanisha Hawkins; Eric Thomas, Jr.; Shatara Thomas; Tracey Davis; Shavonne Thomas; Salena Latham; Nikeera Chandler; Shiniya Callender; Sherriez McMillian; and Gloria Latimore.

Working at least three hours daily for four months, the children also created an essay to accompany their artwork and describe their feelings about the attack.

Art Facilitator Eric Thomas explained, “They talked about it constantly, until I said, ‘well let’s write about it’” and the writing grew into the art. For Thomas – just as for the children – this creation was a personal expression of his experience. The image of a child etched into the art is the face of his step-sister’s child. Labor pain kept his step-sister from going to work at the Twin Towers on Sept. 11.

“My step sister worked in Tower One on the 64th floor,” Thomas said. He added, “I’m proud of [the artists] because some stayed late after school and then often came here to help,” taking the project seriously and proving their dedication to capturing this moment in history.

The community of Baisley Park Houses is awaiting renovations of their community center, and so the young artists’ work is being temporarily housed at their facility located at 116-40 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. But Community Facilitator Brenda Pearson explained, “our two level Baisley Park development community center will take a year and a half before completion and will be equipt with a weight room, dance studio, art room, game room, computer room, and reading room.”

Department of Housing spokesperson Howard Marder added, “Renovations will increase the current space of 4,300 square feet to 7,500 square feet.” The refurbished community center that will be located in building four of the housing complex and will expand into the first floor residential space on the north side of the building, Marder said. 

Thomas added that, “The housing department has an art show that was discontinued but will be restarted next year.” Local youths can also take part in the groups other on-going projects, including ethnic mask making and body sculpture that may premiere in the art show for exhibit and will be on display at the center. 

The Baisley Park Houses complex is also home to an award winning dance team and a homework assistance program that provides school children with snacks after school.

The following quotes were collected from the artists to express their feeling on Sept. 11 and in the days that followed:

“I feel badly for them because someone you love is gone,” — Faye Howe, age 12.

Eric Thomas, Jr., age 16, didn’t know much about the World Trade Center until the tragedy, but was thankful “God pulled my father’s sister away.”

“I did not know anyone at the World Trade Center, but I still have sad feelings,” — Tanaisha Hawkins, age 11.

Tatiana Walker, 11, lost two cousins. “I did not know them well, but one was found and one is still missing. This has been a learning experience.”