Collection: Grateful Turnout: A Public Thank You to First Responders

Sherry Davis invites the public to quite literally weave their appreciation of first responders into a lasting, communal expression of thanks.

Davis is making significant progress on Grateful Turnout: A Public Thank You to First Responders, an ambitious large-scale sculpture that repurposes decommissioned fire hoses and turnout gear into a powerful tribute to those who run toward danger. The project continues her long-standing exploration of memory, labor, sustainability, and transformation. A Long Island Grants for the Arts Artist Fellow, Davis also received a 2026 NYSCA grant in support of the work.

Grateful Turnout builds on the success of her widely recognized Harvesting Memories in Blue, a monumental upcycled denim installation funded by a 2024 NYSCA grant and featured in her 2025 solo exhibition at the Huntington Arts Council gallery. Here, Davis shifts from denim to materials embedded with frontline experience—gear that once protected lives now reimagined as a collective gesture of gratitude.

A longtime admirer of first responders, Davis had been informally collecting discarded equipment for years. With the project now underway, that effort has intensified. “Collection is ongoing, and we’ve already begun processing what we have,” she says. “It’s incredibly moving to see this gear—once essential to protecting lives—take on new meaning. The response from fire departments and individuals has been encouraging, but we still need more.”

Production will accelerate this summer, with Davis once again opening her studio practice to the public. A series of hands-on workshops will invite volunteers to learn adapted fiber techniques and contribute directly to the sculpture’s construction—cleaning, cutting, and weaving donated materials into its growing structure.

“Volunteers are essential to bringing this vision to life,” Davis says. “Their participation is ‘gratefulness’ made tangible. No prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to engage with the stories these materials carry.”

Community participation will remain central even after installation. Inspired by her earlier Great Holiday Weave-In, Davis plans to incorporate an evolving, participatory element into Grateful Turnout, allowing visitors to attach messages and personal reflections—ensuring the work continues to grow as a living tribute.

In early development, Davis also incorporated artificial intelligence as a conceptual tool, generating visual iterations to explore scale, form, and structure. This process allowed her to test possibilities quickly, refining her vision before moving into physical production.

Scheduled for completion this summer, Grateful Turnout is expected to be installed in August 2026, with the final location to be announced. Davis is actively seeking donations of retired first responder gear—particularly fire hoses and turnout equipment—as well as volunteers to assist with upcoming workshops.

Those interested in contributing materials or participating, please contact us.

"Grateful Turnout: a Public Tribute to First Responders" is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.