Mixed Media Assemblage | 20 x 25 x 4 inches | Custom Framed
 
Part of the From War to Peace series, Fly Girls honors the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) who logged over 60 million miles during World War II, bringing their achievements back into view.
 
Testing and ferrying aircraft, towing targets for aerial gunnery practice, and flying simulated missions, these civilian aviators proved what women could do when given the chance. Disbanded before the war’s end and denied military status and veterans’ benefitsuntil 1977, they displayed skill and courage in the face of real danger (including sabotage). The assemblage layers a mythic motif and a reference to Avenger Field, Sweetwater Texas, to commemorate their service and address their erasure from the historical record.
 
A contemporary, research-driven narrative, Fly Girls connects WWII women’s history and aviation history.
 
Materials: Pheasant feathers, Murano glass, freshwater pearls, quartz, calcite, ambronite, onyx, dollhouse miniatures, picture frame, ribbon, paper, art board, wood
 
Framing: Archival museum glass in a deep black custom frame by Chevy Chase Art Gallery, Washington, DC.