Sedona artist unveils 'Dear Woman' monument concept to honor missing and murdered Indigenous women
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Summary
Sculptor Jill Trenholm presented a 'Dear Woman' monument concept to Sedona City Council, describing a planned larger outdoor monument and inviting collaboration with local Indigenous artists; the council was receptive and staff offered to explore city placement options.
Sculptor Jill Trenholm described her Dear Woman Monument project to the Sedona City Council on March 10, saying the piece is intended "to raise awareness" about the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and serve as "a call to truth, a space for grieving, a place for awakening." Mayor Holly Plugh introduced Trenholm and staff showed a short video about the work.
Trenholm told council the full‑scale monument does not yet exist but that she envisions it standing "10 feet or taller" as a guardian figure wrapped in a birth blanket and bearing a red handprint motif; she said a large version could eventually reach about 14 feet tall and the project includes smaller, limited‑edition bronze works for sale. She said the figure is composed of "350 faces" representing individual lives and "hundreds more" beyond that number.
Trenholm emphasized collaboration with Indigenous artists on the monument's base and motifs: "I intend for Dear Woman Monument to spark conversations that matter nationally as well as internationally," she said, and invited the council and public to a Meet the Artist event at the Sedona Community Library on Thursday, March 12, at 4 p.m.
Councilors and staff discussed potential display locations and next steps. A staff member offered to speak with Trenholm about possible city property sites and mentioned existing memorial park locations such as the Military Memorial Park and Western Gateway; staff said the smaller maquette is already on display at Schnebly. Mayor Plugh and several council members encouraged further conversation and public outreach ahead of any decision about siting or city involvement.
The presentation concluded with council members thanking Trenholm and inviting community participation at the library unveiling. There was no formal action or vote on city sponsorship or placement during the meeting; staff said they would follow up with Trenholm about options for city property and potential next steps.
