DIMEBAG Art Tribute Curator: 'I Saw Many Cry Looking At These Amazing Pieces'

Chris "Curse" Mackey, curator of the Six-String Masterpieces "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott art tribute, issued the following message on the two-year anniversary of Dimebag's tragic passing:

"Where we stand.... I take a moment of silence... a moment of retrospection, a time to reflect a time to respect what I have in my life today, and to try to understand what has been lost senselessly... It seems like it's only yesterday since, but so long ago too.... Something so tragic that should have never happened hit us like an emotional holocaust. What the fuck, what the fuck, why, why, why, repeated over and over by thousands and thousands and thousands. The day Dime died. Just why...it can never be justified...

"I saw the gleam on his eye in the eyes of so many who came to see this tribute on Ozzfest and at Family Values, so so many stories about that 'one time with Dime'... and I saw many cry looking at these amazing pieces.. I have never seen artwork touch people like that...and I felt immense sadness from that until they said thank you that they needed some closure to this tragedy...and the art had helped them in a way, to say goodbye.

"I appreciate and respect what Dime gave to the fans and to the music industry at large and I appreciate the gift of art and love that these special guitars represent, they are each a gift from each of the artists who knew Dime, loved him and were inspired by him. Amongst their immeasurable fame and talent these people took the time, when they have almost none that is not already spoken for, and gave a piece of their heart through the art on these instruments.

"The goal of this exhibit is to help the next generation of rockers realize what a gift their talent and freedom is. And that no one should pay such a price like Dime for the freedom to do what he loved the most. And we want to make more music available for them in schools across the U.S. The auction of these guitars will be announced very soon at www.deanguitars.com/sixstringmp and you can get on the list to bid or support or just see what happens.

"What a gift it is, to be free to play music, however it sounds, wherever you stand. We should never live in fear of dying in that special place, the one that you create for yourself when you truly feel the music.

"An artist strives to reach that sacred space where one is truly free with everything he has....for it to be taken away like it was for Dime I am forever regretful.... and it is a sad state that such a tragedy is even possible. How? Why?

"There is no going back now, we can only strive to make it better and prevent it from happening to anyone else. So give some thought to making each day a little better, it can start by doing something for someone other than yourself...

"Ozzy Osbourne, Ace Frehley, Cristina Scabbia (LACUNA COIL),Billy Gibbons, Paul Raven (MINISTRY),artist Alex Grey are just some of the artists still painting guitars for this monumental project. I am amazed...

"Thanks for all of the interest and support and we hope to make a very solid donation to a worthy organization that supports music and art education. That announcement will come by the end of the year."