... is inspired by the unsettling true story of the 1975 murder of eight year old Gretchen Harrington, which made national news in the summer of 2023. The case was cracked in August of that year with an anonymous tip from one of Gretchen’s friends at the time. She recently reread a diary entry she wrote a month after the murder, now understanding it from an adult perspective. “It’s a secret, so I can’t tell anyone…..but I think it was Mr. Z.” This friend, a child already enmeshed in the misogynist, dysfunctional modus operandi of her community, gave witness (voice) to something so unwelcome and counterculture in 1975 that it wasn’t given room to exist. In time, her perspective shifted. This type of awakening - powerful enough to close the chasm between experience and understanding- is a theme of much of my recent work, especially as it is happens to those who identify as female. How do we understand our identity/history/worth as our context shifts over time?
Gretchen's Mouth - Green Beads, acrylic transfer, vintage necklace on canvas, 11' x 17"
Being Seen - Gretchen's Eyebrows, acrylic transfer, electrical wire, thread on canvas, 11" x 17"
The Gretchen Harrington case illustrates the nature of patriarchy, especially as it plays out in religious structures. It’s chilling to realize that, in some absurd sense, the community was “ok” with what happened and was willing to protect the perpetrator. My work untangles the intertwined strands of events and reactions, points of view, loyalties, and fears, ultimately to lay it out in a new way.
Her Mouth, acrylic transfer, bow, thread on paper 11' x 17"
Highlight, acrylic transfer, vintage pin, leather glove, sawdust, thread on canvas, 11" x 17"
Diadem, acrylic transfer, vintage necklace, thread on canvas, 11" x 17"
The story has completely gripped me, not only because Gretchen is so relatable as a girl very close to my age who lived in a similar religious community, but also because I have familial ties to her killer/rapist, David George Zandstra, my mom’s first cousin, and a pastor. I feel compelled to look at this event with unflinching insight that doesn’t spare anyone. As an artist, I find myself positioned to make work that examines a world still committed to the sacrifice of girls and women, steeped in inspiration from Gretchen’s vivid narrative.
Blue Shoes, found objects
Waiting, 48 watches in a chain, found objects
Giant Tie, made from deadstock fabric, acrylic transfer on paper, collage, 14 feet x 9"
One reason central to my decision to undertake Gretchen’s story was seeing the recent work of an artist who took on her own familial story of abuse and framed it in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without her personal connection to the people involved. Amanda Mustard’s 2023 documentary Great Photo, Lovely Life is a film about her grandfather’s serial sexual abuse and the journey of reconciliation for her family. It’s vulnerable, shockingly mundane, and powerful. Its tone and unpredictable path inspired me as to how I could approach this work..
Pain, acrylic transfer, vintage buttons, beads, crystal on canvas, 10 1/2" x 15"
Intuition, found materials, 2023
Another event that secured my commitment to Gretchen’s story happened as I walked through my local Goodwill, a place I frequent to collect material and generate ideas for new work. I proposed a question to Gretchen, “What can I buy for you?” I wasn’t asking it as a method to imagine who she was, but felt that I could actually connect with her on a spiritual plane. Minutes later, I left the store with a Bay City Rollers album from the year she was murdered.
Dead on Floral with Moveable "A",, oil, acrylic transfer, collage, grommet on paper, 30" x 22"
Gift for Dead Girl, oil, acrylic transfer with motifs from vintage wrapping paper, on canvas, 48" x 40"
I don’t intend for this work to function as a memorial, nor as an examination of a cold case narrative. Instead, I envision a collection of works that illustrate a very dark, modern fairy tale, comprising a variety of paintings/assemblages, paper pieces, and found objects, each one simultaneously messy, joyful, and emblazoned with complicated emotional rages and ranges of tenderness. Each work will borrow influence from specific detail within Gretchen’s narrative, yielding to the opportunity for an empathetic and emotional resonance from an insider’s perspective, ultimately generating an exhibition that scrutinizes the structure of religious and patriarchal narratives and the perverse permutations of thought within contemporary culture, centering on Gretchen as an anchor for critical conversations regarding the nature and nuance of the complex times in which we live.
She Wore Blue Stripes, oil on canvas, 48" x 56"
Exploding Castle, oil, collage on paper, 10" x 16 1/4"
Sweater Sailboat on Green Sea, oil, collage on paper, 12" x 23"
Get Away, oil, collage on paper, 8 1/4" x 16"
Spirit Rising, oil on paper, 22" x 30"
Hearts and Stripes, oil on paper 19" x 22 1/2"
Charm Bracelet (Gretchen's Revenge), #1 Xacto blades, chain, hardware
Alarm Bracelet, bells , child's bangle
Charm Necklace (Enid's Revenge), upholstery needles, bells, chain, hardware
Gretchen's Transformation, bows, thread on vintage 1970s tablecloth, 52" sq.
from the "Things She Never Had" series:
Feathered Bangs, acrylic transfer, pheasant feather, thread on canvas, 21" x 32"
Big Hair, oil, acrylic transfer on canvas, 27" x 21"
Face Piercings, oil, acrylic transfer, buttons, rings, thread on paper 17" x 11",
Breakfast, vintage belt, bows, thread
detail, Pheasant Lashes, Mother of Pearl Eye, acrylic transfer, feather, buttons, thread on paper, 7" x 9"
Back to Nature, acrylic transfer, plastic flowers, buttons on canvas, 11" x 17"
Peaceable Kingdom Infestation, acrylic transfer, vintage pins , thread on canvas, 19 1/2" x 33"
Outdoors, oil, acrylic transfer, vintage pins, thread, child's skirt on canvas, 25" x 25"
Your Mouth is Powerful (Red), oil, acrylic transfer, buttons, bows on paper, 11" x 15"
Your Mouth is Powerful (Green), oil, buttons on paper, 11" x 17"
"
Last View from the Weeds, oil, collage on mirrored wallpaper, 24 1/2" x 20"
What Happened, oil, bows on canvas, 40" x 48"
Writing Gretchen, oil on canvas, 48" x 40"
Time for Revenge, acrylic transfer, collage, found foil numbers on gessoed paper, 11" x 12 1/2
David G. Zandstra was acquitted by a jury in Delaware County on January 17, 2025. I'll be doing more work...