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Members of the Anthony family pose with an image of their many-greats-aunt Susan B. Anthony.

FX Studio Creates Youthful Image of Susan B. Anthony

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Diana Walczek works on the digitally created image of the young Susan B. Anthony.
ADAMS, Mass. — An image of women's rights leader Susan B. Anthony as a child was revealed at the home of her birth this past weekend.

Created by local digital artist Diana Walczak, the unveiling commemorates the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, often called the Susan B. Anthony Amendment, that gave women the right to vote. The constitutional amendment was certified on Aug. 26, 1920. (Tennessee was the 37th state to ratify the amendment on Aug. 18.)

Fourteen member of the Anthony family were present when the image was revealed at the Anthony Birthplace and Museum on East Road on Friday.

The image portrays Anthony at age 6 wearing the simple clothing of a Quaker child in 1826. She is standing in front of the hearth in the kitchen. Anthony spent her earliest years in the East Road dwelling her father built until the family moved to New York State.

The high-quality, digitally produced illustration was created by Walczak, co-owner of Synthespian Studios in Williamstown. The filmographers at Synthespian specialize in 3-D design and character animation and have produced a stereoscopic film for Radio City Music Hall's "Christmas Spectacular," ride films for Busch Gardens and Universal Studios, and groundbreaking special-effects for films such as "X-Men" and "Fantastic Four."  Its offices are in Hollywood and Williamstown.

The museum provided Walczak with the historical research for reference photos, Quaker clothing and styling to create the image.

"Photography was not developed at the time Susan was a child and lived here in this home," said Carol Crossed, president of the museum.  "The image of Susan standing in front of the kitchen hearth is so endearing. It brings to life this Anthony heritage."



The civil rights activist in 1896 at age 76.
The process of creating the image is the reverse of how a composite sketch artist uses the picture of a kidnapped child and "ages" image of how they may appear 15 years later.

"We were fortunate to find two frontal images of Susan's face, one at age 28 and one at age 32," said Walczak. "Both images show that her eye and eyebrow were higher on her right side than on her left and that her right mouth corner was higher than her left as well. We incorporated these features into our interpretation of a younger version of Susan B. Anthony's facial structure."

Walczak worked with 3-D digital artist Travis Pinnsonault, who built a digital database of the little girl based on Walczak's sketches. Travis went on to texture and light the entire scene and render the one image using the same computer-graphics processes Synthespian Studios uses in film and TV production. He then passed on the image with separate layers for Walczak to complete in Photoshop. She balanced the layers and painted new elements, such as hair, facial details, and the fire that casts a warm glow on the little girl.

"I tried to give the young Susan B. Anthony an innocent, yet curious and determined look," Walczak said. "I felt highly responsible to be as accurate as possible, deeply moved as our image gradually came to life, and truly honored to have had the opportunity to create a visualization of one of the world's most important historical figures."

The image is available to the viewing public beginning this past weekend. Regular museum hours of operation are Friday through Monday, 10 to 4.
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Adams Mill Fire Investigation Continues, Violations Found

Staff Reports
ADAMS, Mass. — According to local and state fire officials, while the investigation into April's Harmony Street mill fire is still open, there is no evidence that the fire was intentionally set.
 
Following their examination of the scene, Chief Pansecchi and code compliance officers from the Department of Fire Services identified several violations of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code. Specifically, they found that the property owner had violated several terms of a permit issued in 2019 by:
  • Failing to install an approved lock box at the gate for fire department emergency access;
  • Failing to seek a new permit when the building became occupied during unsanctioned work; and
  • Failing to obtain a hot work permit for cutting and grinding metal operations within the structure.
Failing to abide by a permit issued by the local fire chief constitutes a violation of the Fire Code. In consultation with Pansecchi, DFS code compliance officers issued three citations to Harmony Street LLC, each for $100. Having a state compliance officer issue the citations ensures that they will be available to testify at a hearing and/or appeal on the citations, Pansecchi said.
 
The property has been vacant since MacDermid Graphics closed in 2002, and was purchased by 10 Harmony Street LLC for $53,500 in 2019, according the online assessor's records. Principal of the LLC is listed as John D. Duquette Jr.
 
The origin and cause of the fire are being investigated by the Adams Fire Department, Adams Police Department, and State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal's office. They determined that the fire began somewhere in the center of the structure, and while they have not yet reached a determination as to its cause they found no evidence that it was intentionally set.
 
In the course of their efforts, investigators learned of unsanctioned, unpermitted hot work being performed inside the building. This involved using oxy-acetylene torches to cut metal for scrap. Cutting, grinding, welding, and other hot work requires training, certification, and a permit from the local fire department because of the inherent fire hazard posed by sparks and slag.
 
The Adams Fire Department was dispatched to 10 Harmony St. shortly after 7:30 a.m. on April 16 for a report of smoke coming from the building. The first responding personnel confirmed smoke and flames at the 237,000-square foot mill building and began requesting mutual aid and Northern Berkshire EMS to support local resources. In the minutes and hours that followed, the fire went to two alarms plus, drawing firefighters and apparatus from Pittsfield, Cheshire, North Adams, Lanesborough, Hinsdale, Dalton, Savoy, and Williamstown.
 
As the volume of smoke produced by the growing fire in a former industrial building prompted concerns about air quality in the area, two nearby schools were closed in an abundance of caution and residents with respiratory vulnerabilities were advised to shelter in place. Pansecchi requested a DFS Hazmat team to monitor the air at various locations. Chemicals that had previously been stored at the site had been removed years ago, however, and technicians found no imminent hazards to first responders or the community.
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