American LOVE Project_084
Item
- Title
- American LOVE Project_084
- Alternative Title
- American LOVE Project
- Creator
- Karen Blessen
- Date
- 2021-2022
- Description
-
The image displays an open journal with handwritten text and a printed article pasted on one of the pages. On the left page, there are several handwritten notes in black ink. The text starts with "A lot has been going on" and mentions various events and tasks, including activities in different states, workshops, and articles. The date "September 6, 2021" is noted, followed by reflections on recent occurrences and personal skills.
The right page features a large, bold handwritten heading "LORRAINE ANN LIENEMANN," with dates indicating her lifespan: "August 9, 1951 – August 19, 2021." A printed article is centered on the page with a Facebook-style layout and includes a photograph of a smiling woman. Around the article, handwritten text wraps in a border-like fashion, recounting fond memories and feelings about Lorraine. Colorful index tabs labeled "Anne Frank," "My Journals," "My Unfinished," and "Ambulance Ride" protrude from the journal's top edge. - 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.
She arrives, and she left, in summer - her favorite season. My grief was flat-out. Friends for 52 years, even though she was a pain in the ass in many ways. She'd say to me "you are the luckiest person I know," "You have more inertia than anyone I know," "Please don't invite me to go there" (unintelligble) - 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