Thursday, January 04, 2007

Goodbye, Dear Helen Hill


Today, at 5:30 this morning, a dear friend, Helen Hill, was murdered in her home in Marigny. Her house was broken into and she and her husband were both shot. Their two year old baby was there. Paul, the father survived the shooting. The baby is ok, safe with friends right now.

There will be a memorial for her tonight.

Please, everyone, pray, think thoughts of strength -whatever it is you do- for this family.

Kittie makes fun with Helen as they clean up
her flooded home in Mid-City


Both pictures are from Kittee Burns' livejournal website.

This from a post I put up on October 7, 2006

Helen Hill Open Studio

Today is New Orleans Art For Art's Sake, a day for people to walk around town checking out what is going on in galleries and artist's studios.

We went to Helen's studio today, where I made a playdough mermaid with her baby Francis and checked out her current project. Helen makes animated films and started the New Orleans Film Collective (cannot find a website).



She is making a film inspired by a bunch of flooded dresses handsewn by an ancient New Orleanian who recently passed away. She threads her own flooded story into that of this amazingly creative seamstress, named Floristine, through an examination of these dresses and imagining the woman's life.

It is called The Florestine Collection, and I cannot wait to see it completed! The story board is great.

Links about Helen Hill:
Atlantic Film-makers Cooperative
Program for Media Artists
Best of New Orleans