honoring those we love
Tavia, Posted March 17, 2009
Sometimes when it rains it pours. We all know this to be true, with rain and with life. Over the last month seven people who touch my family's lives in one way or another have passed away. The bad news just keeps rolling in as three others are diagnosed with cancer or needing an organ transplant.
One of these tragic stories that has really touched me emotionally, is the passing of young seven year old Luke Remington Warren. Family friends, the Warren's lost Luke on February 15th after a long battle in the hospital. A twin, Luke leaves behind his brother, his parents, grandparents, great grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends who all miss him dearly. I believe his passing has touched me so much because i am a mommy of young children. I can't seem to shake the notion of what if that was us? What if i lost a child? How would i exist? What would i need to help me get up in the morning, and move forward for my other child, my family and myself?
Throughout my artistic career, I have been inspired by life and fragility of existence. This duality of glee and sorrow, pain and happiness has always intrigued me and perplexed me. Driven to hold onto memories, and to honor loved ones, i like to create memorial objects and heirloom pieces that venerate events and those whom are special to us. These objects can be extravagant, to be worn only on occasion, mostly just admired, or they can be completely wearable to be utilized in such a way of carrying the memories with you throughout life, everyday.
With the pouring of sad news around us, and with Luke in the forefront, i have been moved to create memorial objects for Luke's family. I am sharing them with you here. They are made of sterling silver, oxidized to enhance the chased designs and textures. The cuff bracelets are for Luke's mom and grandmothers, the charms are for his dad and grandfathers to wear as pendants, use as key chains, or simply use as a pocket charms. The wheel pendant is for Luke's brother. The process for me has been very cathartic and I hope these objects can do the same for them. These pieces helped me work through my emotions of not only Luke's passing, but all of the others as well.
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." — Ralph Waldo Emerson