Ten years ago today, New York, Washington DC and Virginia suffered a terrible tragedy that had a ripple affect on the entire world. In response, Dalton M. Ghetti, a pencil sculptor from Connecticut, wanted to honour the victims of 9/11, and so he did – one tear drop at a time. Ghetti began creatively sharpening used pencils in 1986, and this meditative hobby has since seen him creating uniquely intricate designs. While Ghetti’s earlier work reminded us of the beauty in small things, the craftsman has spent the past ten years carving a tear drop for every life that was taken on September 11, 2001.

Individually, each graphite tear drop represents a loved being, and when placed together, not only are they no longer alone, but they also cause us to fathom the sheer number of loss. The amount of time and effort gone into each tear drop – they’re about the size of a grain of rice – leaves you in awe. Ghetti’s Tear Drops is part of a special commemorative 9/11 memorial being held at the New Britain Museum of American Art today. The three thousand tear drops carved doesn’t equate to the tears drops shed, but does honour the victims that will never be forgotten.

Images via Sloan Howard.