Reflecting on “Falling Man” – Painting Through the Events of 9/11

The Day I Painted "Falling Man"

September 11, 2001, is a day that changed everything. Watching the events unfold, I couldn't sit still anymore. Late that afternoon, I went into my studio and started painting. I worked on it through most of the night. "Falling Man" was my way of processing what I saw—the shock, the confusion, and the weight of it all. I didn’t plan it, but I had to do something.

The Creative Process

The painting is 4 ft x 8 ft, done in acrylic on unstretched canvas. As I worked, emotions took over, guiding my hand. It wasn’t about making sense of things. It was about releasing what I couldn’t put into words. I kept thinking about how fragile life suddenly felt, and that helplessness became part of the painting.

Showing "Falling Man" in Los Angeles

In July, I was honored to show "Falling Man" at the Brand Library & Art Center as part of the exhibit "Abstract Los Angeles: Four Generations." The show was a mix of abstract works, connecting artists from different generations. Abstract art thrives in LA, and this exhibit was about documenting the evolution of abstract styles across generations.

How “Falling Man” Resonates Today

Even years later, "Falling Man" still speaks to me. It’s a reminder of that day, of the fragility of life, and the limits of what we understand. When I look at it, I remember standing in my studio, needing to create something to make sense of what I saw. It's still an emotional piece for me, one that captures that raw moment in time.