American LOVE Project_083

Item

Open journal with handwritten text and a tribute to Lorraine Lienemann, including a photo and bookmarks titled "LORRAINE LIENEMANN," "ANNE FRANK," "MY UNFINISHED," and "AMBULANCE RIDE."

Title: American LOVE Project_083
Alternative Title: American LOVE Project
Creator: Karen Blessen
Date: 2021-2022
Description: The image shows an open journal with two pages visible. The left page is filled with handwritten text in a vertical format, listing events and activities. The text begins with "A LOT has been going on" followed by a list of activities such as travel to states, workshops, and articles. The handwriting is scattered and casual. Below the list, the date "September 6, 2021" is written, followed by more notes about personal events.

The right page displays a printed obituary or tribute for a person named Lorraine Lienemann, spanning August 9, 1951, to August 19, 2021. A photograph of a woman is included at the bottom of the page. A description of her life and achievements is typed above the photo in a format resembling a social media post. Surrounding the printed section are more handwritten notes in the margins expressing personal reflections.

Several labeled bookmarks protrude from the top of the pages with titles like "LORRAINE LIENEMANN," "ANNE FRANK," "MY UNFINISHED," and "AMBULANCE RIDE."
Identifier: 2021_010621 to 2022 060222_The American LOVE Project Journal
Dates Completed: January 6, 2021 - June 2, 2022
Keywords: Insurrection; January 6; US Capitol; Texas freeze; Infrastructure fragility; Political instability; Power outage; Water disruption; Internet loss; Medical services disruption; Mail delay; Dallas weather; Lorraine Lienemann; Cancer; Grief; P. Nut; Sparky; Cat loss; 22-year-old cats; American LOVE Project; 29 Pieces; Violence response; National project; Art installation; Washington DC; Covid resurgence; Online gallery; Student art; Educator art; 24 states; Team collaboration; Project outcome; theamericanloveproject.org; Anne Frank; Diary takeaways; Lessons learned; Studio visit; Darryl Ratcliff; Journal viewing; Strategic shift
Transcription: A LOT has been going on.
36 STATES.
Some school districts
workshops.
DMN article.
More workshops.
Solid schedule.

SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

AGAIN - A LOT GOING ON.
AUGUST 19 - LORRAINE
PASSED AWAY.

I’LL PUT MY FB POST →
AND WHAT SHE WROTE
20 YEARS AGO FOR
MY 50th.

Somewhere here, my motor
skills are changing. Not pain

LORRAINE LIENEMANN
August 9, 1951 – August 19, 2021
Karen Bissen is with Barbara Velazquez and Sandra Johnson

Lorraine and I met when I was 17. She was 18. It was September of 1969 and we were in our first year at the University of Nebraska, living on the sixth floor of Smith Hall. One evening all of us innocents were rounded up to listen to a talk given by a man that Lorraine described as about 110 and pitched upright by a cute coed on each arm. Then he showed a film - a very graphic film showing childbirth in all its gritty, bloody and noisy detail. I started to feel faint, got up to leave the room, and another woman followed me, who said "I'm about to black out". We closed the door behind us and both fell against the wall to regain our wits - introduced ourselves - and laughed riproariously.
Who knows what the odd intent was in showing that film that night, but I doubt it was meant to send Lorraine and I bicycling off to Planned Parenthood for The Pill as soon as the time arose.
A lifelong friendship was formed. She was a mathematician, computer scientist and super smart person. She made enough money before she was 50 to retire to the beautiful home that she bought herself near Fontenelle Forest in Omaha, NE.
Lorraine died this past Thursday after years of living with cancer. I am heartbroken. We've remained close friends all these years.
We shared a love of all living things - our dear friends, flowers, trees, critters, family, the sky, the stars. But neither of us ever had children. And I blame that 110 year old man who showed us that gritty, graphic film.
Bon voyage Lorraine, your spritely, curious, intelligent spirit will be with me always.

I took this photo of Lorraine in either the summer of 1972 or 1973. We were bicycling. She has a bike lock chain around her neck.
Rights: To inquire about usage, please contact Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries.
Is Part Of: American Love Project
Relation: Image Gallery