Miners Trapped in Utah

On Monday, Aug. 6, 2007 it was reported that 6 miners were trapped when the mine collapsed in a Utah.


I was somewhat struck by the story as my grandfather died in a Pennsylvania coal mine back in the 1940's. My Mother was only 10 at the time, her parents were both immigrants. After the tragic event my grandmother was left with 14 children to raise on her own with no job skills and a barely existent social security system.

I wanted to do an illustration about this, as I've been experimenting more and more with integrating what I've learned with relief prints and my digital illustration style. I also wanted to start creating illustrations that address more serious topics. Actually this started with the beginning of this year when I did a series of illustrations for On Mission Magazine that dealt with social issues, like homelessness and New Orleans rebuilding effort, etc.



Most of my illustration career I 've created non-offensive, happy, lifestyle pieces which held a large, mass market, I still love to create those type, but now I also want to tackle some seriousness in my work.

Back to those miners, their's is a job that is truly unyielding, if you think working in a cubical with no windows is bad, imagine hard physical work, miles away from any natural light, being covered in dirt, breathing in all sorts of particles, they have a very difficult job.
I wonder what my Mother thinks and feels when these events happen, does she relive those difficult days in her childhood?

© Heidi Younger