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Judy Covington
Broken Hearted
Photo © Drunell Levinson. All rights reserved.
As I watched the destruction of the Twin Towers from a conference room north of the City, my heart ached with pain for the incredible loss we were experiencing, and I felt a heaviness over my heart, as if it was about to burst into pieces. Hence, the title Broken Hearted. Surrounding me were individuals bereft of emotion, shocked at what had occurred, desperate for a sense of security, anxious to reach out to loved ones, yet transfixed on what was happening in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Believing, yet not wanting to believe, that such horrific events were transpiring.
The sky that day was incredibly blue, and the sun reflected brilliantly, like diamonds, against the clouds. It was dazzling despite the tragic events, and it was difficult to comprehend the loss of so many lives as the day unfolded, because it was so beautiful and peaceful – at least where I was.
It was important to me that my quilt reflect the many conflicting emotions I experienced that day. The strong sense of loss and heartbreak are reflected in the broken heart. The vividness of the sky and the brilliance of its color can be seen in the selection of the fabric so apt because the sky looked just like it on 9/11. The plume rising out the heart reflects the dramatic loss of so many individuals not only in New York, but in Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania as well. The gems as depicted in the glass buttons and pearls represent the many lives forever lost but dazzling none the less for their many accomplishments and contributions.
The idea of a whole-cloth quilt brought everything together for me, because in spite of such destruction and despair, our experience has united all of us through this senseless tragedy as one. And while we are Broken Hearted, knowing the pieces will never fit properly together again because so much is missing, we need to celebrate the radiance of so many and the difference they have made not only in their individual lives, but in ours as well.
Judy Covington
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