Acts of Remembrance
The portraits below were painted by Corinna Dibble for the Kennebunk Just History Walk. Below the portraits you’ll find reflection letters from walk participants written in response to these portraits/people as well as other humans/entities they met during the walk.
Artist Statement
This work is an act of remembrance. I seek to make visible the faces of the individuals whose stories have been erased. Each portrait is a gesture of honor, in paint and light, to restore dignity and visibility to lives lost in the margins of history. I aim to illuminate memory, reclaim space, and offer reverence. Portraits are acrylic on watercolor paper.
Artist Bio
Corinna Dibble is an artist, graphic designer, and project manager with a background in the publishing industry. Her artistic practice spans painting and mixed media, where she explores themes of identity and our relationship with the natural world. Through her work, she aims to bridge divides, encouraging a greater understanding of our differences and shared humanity through the universal language of art. With years of experience managing art production and projects in educational publishing, she is passionate about broadening access to learning opportunities for all and fostering connections through creative expression.
Corinna Dibble
Reflections
At the end of the Kennebunk walk, participants gathered at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church for a meal, music, and reflection. As folks walked in, they were handed a card upon which the words below were written—an invitation to write a letter. Below the prompt, you’ll see a selection of some of the letters that were written.
Today, you heard stories from new neighbors; past, present, and the more-than-human (the natural world)
Dear Shepherd…
Dear Linda…
Dear Mousam River…
You are invited to write a letter to one of them on the card you were handed.
“Mail” them by placing them on the portrait table. The collected notes will serve as a living record of what we learned, what we felt, and what we are committing to carrying with us.
