Photos: Drew Cohen
A Proud Moment
When a local Cub Scout pack asked me to make a wreath for them to lay at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery, I was thrilled, flattered and anxious. My late father fought in World War II, so the project was poignant for me. I wanted the work to embody the dichotomy of youth and death and be worthy of all those who have sacrificed in service to our country.
I used the colors of the scout's kerchief as my muse. That blue is rich and bold, like the honor guard's uniform. I mixed that color and applied it to some of the flowers. I used teacup roses for the kerchief's yellow, along with rosemary, an herb of remembrance, and Calla lilies, traditional in funerary.
Arlington is hauntingly beautiful, and the services are so precise, reverent and heart-wrenching. Watching those boys stoically laying the wreath and hearing the mournful sound of "Taps" moved me.