Here’s the “Story of the Flag,” in Karen’s words:
When I heard that the Cape Cod Canal was turning 100 [in 2014], I knew I wanted to create a piece of art to commemorate this wonderful occasion. My grandparents were immigrants from Italy who brought us all up to be proud Americans. This inspired the idea of making a stylized American flag for the centennial celebration. (It wasn’t until later that I learned Italian immigrants actually worked on the construction of the canal!)
I knew I wanted to work with children for the canal project. Kids come up with great ideas and adjust quickly if things need to be redrawn in different sizes. The children involved were asked this question: “What does the Cape Cod Canal mean to you?” I received hundreds of drawings from children ages six to 18, from the towns of Bourne, Sandwich, and Wareham. Their drawings, done on 8 1/2 x 11 size paper, were amazing! They drew pictures of the bridges, boats, skating on the canal, biking, fishing lures, jogging, ice cream, and much more.
I, along with other judges, helped to choose the top 100 drawings based on originality, creativity, and execution. It wasn’t easy; there were so many great pieces of art! The top 100 winners then had to redraw their picture on one of the flag’s stripes, scaling it down to 4″ x 10″.
After the winners were selected, an interesting development occurred. The flag, like our nation, seemed to come alive. Art teachers from all three school districts started calling me to tell me the children’s stories. One girl who was in special ed and waas always getting in trouble had never been picked for anything. Her art teacher said that being a part of the canal project had made her feel proud and confident, changing her behavior for the better. Another boy who was chosen to draw was autistic.
Click here to read Cape Cod Wave Magazine’s article “A Flag Inspired by the Cape Cod Canal.”