As visual artists we often have thoughts about the longevity of our creations. We consider the archival aspects of materials and perhaps the timeliness of our visual messages.
Increasingly we consider the necessity to be environmentally conscious regarding our materials by recycle or upcycling.
I know I have approached my creations with all of these thoughts in mind. But, these days I am not considering the permanence of my creations or how to keep fabrics and other materials out of landfills or fires. I'm gathering in and creating with an intention of complete impermanence.
My recent art is not only intended to change over time - the intention is that it will completely disappear.
As a Death Midwife I have facilitated a number of home funerals and body honoring ceremonies where burial shrouds were used as the final embrace of our Beloved dead. At times, given the opportunity to plan ahead, I have sewn fabric shrouds in favorite colors or have even simply purchased a large sheet to wrap the body in.
Recently I've been inspired to do more. My desire to create hand painted shrouds and burial blankets was balanced with the necessity to guarantee impermanence by using all natural and biodegradable products.
Of course, the creative process which begins with a spark of inspiration, changes me. The Beauty of impermanence seeps into my bones and I realize how challenging it can be to release our attachment to what we create - which is deeply connected to how we see ourselves and how we want to be remembered.
And, there are layers of learning. Large format work brings unique challenges and fortunately I have a personal history of contemplating the importance of what and how I create. In my video titled Imagining Beauty I reflect, "Will what I create matter? When I bring that which flows from my imagination into form, will it make the world better, touch a life, or inspire others?"
These days it seems I answer my own questions by saying yes, it matters deeply. In my capacity to create form that becomes completely formless and unseen, I make the world better, touch lives, and hopefully, inspire others.
Hold me, hold me, never let me go.
Hold me like the leaves on the ends of the branches.
And when I die let me fly, let me fly.
Through the air like the leaves when they're falling.
Hold me, hold me, never let me go.
Hold me like the stars in the sky high above me.
And when I die let me fly, let me fly.
Through the air like the stars when they're falling.
Additional gratitude to the EarthSpirit's musical ritual group MotherTongue for the lyrical inspiration for this particular shroud.
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