Four yrs ago we got a call while we were on vacation w/ my side of the family. H wasn't going to call his mom back, but she'd never call unless it was important. While I overheard bits & pieces of the conversation I thought my niece was taken by someone, but then I heard the words "are you sure she's dead?" We both sank to the ground & that was the moment in time my H started to pull away from me & a wedge was driven into his family.
We had to leave & make the 6 hr drive to...hell & we couldn't take our own 2 kids w/ us so my family jumped in & we split them up for the time. As my mom so nicely puts "it's the vacation that we ruined."
The rest is a journey thru hell & back that you don't really wanto hear. My niece was mistakenly forgotten in her carseat for more than 8 hrs in a hot car in her own driveway. She died of HYPERthermia; or more commonly heard, heatstroke. She was 23 months old. Her mom swears to this day she dropped her at daycare after she dropped her older one @ school.
So many people including myself ask why! Why did this happen? I can't say why nor can I point fingers. I'm not going to judge bec there's enough people out in this world that do plenty of judging. This battle line has definitely been drawn in the sand. All the people w/ black & white answers. I don't share them.
I can say that if it wasnt for her death I don't think I would've ever have heard my MIL say that she loves me. That my 3rd child would've come into existence & I never would've finished my masters program; I had no inspiration. She gave me plenty.
Last yr I had my 1st gallery opening & it was a yr in my life dedicated to her. The subject was centered on children & hyperthermia. I heard a couple people use the term "shock art" but if you would've seen it you would've understood my concept of "inform & educate the public." That was my job. It was difficult to separate myself from the work. Every time I had a problem I'd call my advisor & say "I can't do this." & she always asked me "mudd what's the count up to today."
All my information was taken from http://www.ggweather.com/heat/hyperthermia2013.htm It's the only website I know that keeps data on each death. The name of the child, place, yrs old & temp for the day. I've been addicted to checking this website daily in the spring thru fall for 3 yrs now. I don't know why I torture myself reading every story anymore, but I feel like I owe it to them. When my advisor asked me this question I always had a new number for her. She kept my focus on doing the work & leaving the feelings @ the studio door. It was the only way to get the work done.
(Hope to insert pic here)
This was one body of work that represented every child that died from 1998 to 2011. It contained 528 slip cast hands. If you would've picked one of them up (which was miticulously puttyed down) inside ea fist is the name of the child it's dedicated to & the yr. I started this job of marking them 2 wks before set up & it wasn't enough time. It was hard,even w/ my apprentice helping to spell & keep track, not to finally start to break down over what I was doing. This piece was built on a 5x8' sheet of plywood & yet it's presence filled the room. It took me two days to set it.
I had to have 3 bodies of work showing 3 different styles. My show had 637 pieces in it when it opened & 644 when it closed. One piece showed the current running total for the yr & since it was a summer show the number increased.
I was very proud of my gallery talk. I knew that it was a bit of a tear jerker, but objective. I originally wrote it 10min before our one class & took a month to polish it. I almost lost it @ the very end & had a little quiver in my voice, but not a tear dropped. I met w/ guests, the provost & a reporter. Surprisingly my parents, my sister & my 2 SIL showed for it. It was a 3.5 hr drive. Not one person from my H side of the family came, not even my H. There's a separate thread there.
Three weeks later I came back to dismantle which took only 2 days. (6 for set up). Finally I was finished standing by myself in the empty gallery after midnight & I started to cry. I wept for all the emotions that stood on the sidelines & cheered for me to finish & now I was getting the congratulatory Gatorade down my back; they were all here to thank me. I cried also over the fact that my largest piece w/ all the hands on it didn't sell. I did have several hospitals say they were interested in it as a traveling piece especially in the summer, but see I held every single one of those hands, cast it in slip, cleaned it, etched it, fired it & signed ea name. These were now like my children & I promised them a good home & I didn't deliver. I failed them some how & I know it sounds strange but I grew very protective of my work like they were my own children. If I'd made infinite amounts of money I dreamt of boxing up each hand & mailing it to the parent(s) so they had something to hold & touch.
My niece made this all happen. I had this last class to take to finish my masters & I knew all it entailed. One needed a subject they were passionate about to work all yr on. I didn't have one & I was ready to quit. My advisor told me, if you quit you'll regret it & it's so true. Funny thing when I came up w/ the concept for the show I was @ my first class & I had time to kill that weekend so I drove the 45min away to see my niece @ the cemetery. I got the concept for the show while I was driving back to class. It took me 3 months to bring the subject to my advisor & 4 months to tell my H my concept. He hated it & still does. All the while I felt like a dog w/ my tail between my legs waiting for someone to yell @ me for exploiting the subject. It took me a yr to stand behind what I was selling.
I wish you could've met her! She was so sweet & silly. When I'm in her house I can catch glimpses of her running around a corner or her squeal of laughter & smell her in her room. She's been such an inspiration to me when I'm @ my wits end in being a mom. I miss her as do her parents who's hearts I can't fathom the pain of everyday life. Thankfully they have ea other to hold onto.
So on my soapbox I go. If you happen to be in a parking lot you can make a habit of just glancing in a car if there's an infant or toddler seat. Know anyone w/ children? Ask them to put their purse/ wallet/ diaper bag in the back seat w/ the child so it becomes second nature. Lock your car doors. So many children see a car as the best hide n seek place or a place to play. Most children, even older ones don't know the driver's door opens from the inside if their in the back seat ( child safety latches). Off soapbox.
A very interesting, insightful award winning article from the Washington Post explaining hyperthermia deaths & how the brain works.
http://articles.washingtonpost...om-tissue-class-trip
Thanks for listening. Hopefully this reaches one person. Just one that might make all the difference.
Mudd
