The Nebraskan Experience, 2010. 

Black Thread, Ebony, Manzanita, Cocobolo, with wooden inlay of Purple Heart, Yellow wood, Cocobolo

17.5" H x 4.5" W x 3.25" D

In 2009, Laurie and her students in the Brooklyn College Academy World Ensemble traveled 680 miles through Nebraska, playing world instruments for rural schools, the Museum of Nebraskan Art, and the Omaha Reservation.  The honor of playing such a diverse array of concerts in such a short period of time led Laurie to create this musical sculpture, comprised of an oud, a shofar, a gu zheng, and a djembe drum.  The curvature of the piece represents the weary travel, while the bottom is shaped like a buffalo hoof, to represent the beauty of the Nebraskan plains and the privilege of playing for the Omaha Native Americans.