Art Through Inspiration

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Susan Harris is a descendant of Max Blanck, one of the co-owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. The Blanck family had quite a few relatives die in the fire that tragic day and Susan felt a deep calling to make something that would bridge the gap of pain and time and connect her family to the other victims’ families. In 2008, she began collecting Edwardian shirtwaist fabrics and handkerchiefs from all over the country. Susan put together a small group of neighbors to help her embroider the names of all of the victims onto these delicate fabrics. Many names are also sewn by the victims’ descendants. Hung on a clothesline in a manner similar to Tibetan prayer flags, the piece is now 152 feet long.