Local artist’s remembrance of 9/11 on display at Columns Museum

After the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Fred Merusi of Montague, N.J., salvaged a section of steel beam from Ground Zero.

At some point the steel was torch-cut to represent the shape of the towers and Merusi offered it to his longtime friend Arthur Trovei of Deerpark Township, N.Y. The intention was to do something meaningful and memorable with it, so the tragedy would never be forgotten.

Trovei eventually approached his cousin, Ken P. Krause Jr., and commissioned him to employ his talent and imagination and to render an appropriate image on the steel. This beam will be on display at the Pike County Historical Society’s Columns Museum, located at 608 Broad St, in Milford, Pa., through the end of September.

Krause is a Pike County native, a 2006 graduate of Delaware Valley High School, and a recipient of the Governor’s Art Award. He went on to study visual arts and graduated from SUNY Orange in 2009. Krause expressed a flair for art from a very young age and explored many art forms including oil, acrylic, pastel, pencil and photography. He has become well known locally through his exhibits and showings in galleries and art shows.

His acrylic painting depicts a somber scene of Arlington National Cemetery and, in contrast, the iconic image of firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero. The images come from Krause’s imagination and from reference photographs.

It took him many months to complete between work, school and other projects, but he managed to put the finishing touches on it just in time for the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

The museum is open Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment by calling 570-296-8126.