Business & Tech

Southington Artist Helps Create Sept. 11 Tribute to Heroes

Jamie Chasse of Explicit Airbrush painted the motorcycle memorial at his Southington shop.



When the Greenwich Police Department unveiled its Sept. 11 Tribute to Heroes memorial Saturday morning ceremony, there was a decidedly tie to Southington.

There is much symbolism of the custom-paint design on the Harley Davidson motorcycle, Greenwich Police Chief James Heavey said. The design that includes the names of 28 people with ties to Greenwich, who were killed during the terrorist attacks in 2001, also includes a sweeping American flag, a 'Never Forget' ribbon and three silver stars on one side of the fender to memorialize the three Greenwich Police officers killed in the line duty, Heavey said.

The motorcycle was awarded to the department in September 2011 in recognition of the department's Motor Unit's continued participation in the annual America's 911 Foundation motorcycle ride to all three crash sites in Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York City.

Since the Motor Unit received the Harley, officers have been working with Southington airbrush artist Jaime Chasse on the design. "Officer Dave Stewart and I have been working on it, exchanging ideas for more than a year," Chasse said.

Once the design was finalized, the motorcycle was brought up to Chasse's Explicit Airbrush shop on Railroad Avenue where it was disassembled, each part painted and then reassembled, Chasse explained who attended Saturday's ceremony.

Chasse said the motorcycle wasn't the first Sept. 11 tribute he's completed. "I did one a year before for a Stamford firefighter's personal bike and I have done one for a fallen soldier," the 36-year-old self-taught artist said.

Chasse has operated Explicit Airbrush for about 13 years. His work certainly isn't limited to custom designs for motorcycles.

According to Chasse, one of his next projects is painting a large Jeff Koons sculpture that is scheduled to a summer exhibit at the Whitney Museum. He previously painted a sculpture that is on display at the American embassy in China.

"I used to paint jeans and T-shirts in junior high school ... It's come a long way from that," Chasse said. "I'm self-taught. I took a couple years of graphic design in college but it's been trial-and-error."

And judging from the reception he and the Harley Davidson received on Saturday, his is a talent to be reckoned with. People lined up to photograph the intricate details of the bike including the 28 names of the Greenwich victims painted in gold-leaf on the front fender and the World Trade Center on the gas tank.

The Harley-Davidson cruising bike will be on display in the lobby of police headquarters. 

According to the Motor Unit Sgt. John Sluzarz, it also will be used for in-school demonstrations and lectures at Greenwich schools about the historical significance of Sept. 11. And, dependent upon the weather, the motorcycle may be used to lead off the 40th annual Greenwich St. Patrick's Day parade on Sunday, March 23, Slusarz said. 
 


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