During the months following the 9/11 tragedy, I and many other artists were pondering the event and thinking of a possible memorial. During this time, Joe Slockbower, a very good friend and fellow sculptor, arrived at my studio to show me his latest work. One of his sculptures was a beautiful eagle in flight, titled “Amazing Grace”. I was immediately drawn to the significance of the imagery and it's flowing design.

It had the strength of the American Eagle, and a title that would make hearts pound with emotion. Joe said it was his way of showing the strength and pride of the American people in a time of tragedy. I told him he should submit the concept to the government agencies in New York. He smiled and said, “Henry, you are the guy that does big monuments, not me.”

We started forming a larger concept that could be used as an onsite memorial. An Eagle with a two hundred foot wing span standing atop a pedestal. The monument would measure approximately 150 feet tall.

As talks proceeded, the Memorial Committee started plans for the surrounding site. We then contacted computer graphic artist Nan Beckstrom to design the concept artwork, incorporating the monument into the Committees new guidelines.

After the unveiling, during the first year, on the weekends, just after sunset, lights from many angles would be projected upon the memorial, moving back and forth across the eagle. As this is done, the song of “Amazing Grace” would play. As the music ends and the lights go down, a wall of water would rise from the ground, shooting up into the air, and from a projection room on the back side of the pedestal, the image of the American Flag, waving in the wind, would be projected onto the wall of water while “America The Beautiful” would be playing. Again, as the music ends, the lights come up, waving across the memorial and become fixed on the eagle. At this time, fireworks would shoot up into the air, ending the display.

Our concept was then submitted to the 9/11 Memorial Committee for consideration.

Nan Beckstrom set up a site to showcase this concept here.

Click images below to see the "AMAZING GRACE" Memorial Concept sculpture.