I created this small canvas at the start of one summer. I longed for days, and vacations gone by. For me, grieving is not only about missing my husband, but also missing a state of mind and the way I felt in the world when he was still here. I recreated a scene on canvas based on an old photo of a favorite vacation spot. To convey the sense of distance I felt from those perfect days, I painted a…
I created this canvas in response to the deep sadness I was feeling while grieving. I needed to believe that something positive would eventually emerge from it. To depict my emotions, I painted the letters onto a pale blue background, and added “tears” by dribbling paint onto the canvas. To symbolize my hope, I incorporated blades of grass growing from the sparkling soil created using sand and gold glitter. I yearned to believe in the potential for new growth emerging…
Somedays, my heart still feels tired and bruised. Grieving and healing can be exhausting and overwhelming. As I wondered how to express the idea of my still tender heart, soft grey felt came to mind. I sewed this heart, adding a few bruises with blue and violet pastels. I then wrapped a muslin bandage around the heart, tucking in a broken feather to complete the feeling of healing injury. Feathers are symbolic of so many things to me, and I…