Family History in Your Art

September 8th, 2011

This month's theme called to mind some of the pieces I've done relating to my own family history. While working intuitively and learning about encaustic art, I created a piece called "Memory Tree." It related to my family tree and my grandmother who at the time was suffering from Alzheimer's. She has since passed away.
 

I later created other memory trees in encaustic. I loved the medium, but didn't love the fumes (they gave me a headache), so I had to stop.

Family history, stories, memories, loss, and joys can be such a powerful place to draw from in your creations. What sort of family history could you pull from for your own creations?

p.s. My mother and sister are walking to raise funds for Alzheimer's research this fall in memory of my grandmother. If you feel called to, you can help support the cause here. Thank you!

7 Responses

Beautiful expressive encaustic art! Obviously I love the trees but there’s also emotion and movement wonderfully expressed in these.

In answer to your question I did a blog post on the 15th August that encompasses this theme and the ideas surrounding it. Its here http://wrightstory.blogspot.com/2011/08/historical-inspiration-how-does-past.html if you haven’t already seen.

Hope you, Annabelle & hubbie are all well and happy. I shall have to have a more of a catch up soon.
Hugs
Kat Xx

Your post hit home for me My Mother, 2 Grandmothers and now my Aunt who have all died, all had Alzheimers. It is a terrible disease. Watching someone you love lose their entire SELF is heartbreaking. All that creativity is lost. So sad. Bravo to your mother and sister for working for the cause.

to bad you had a problem with the encaustic technique your tree is beautiful. love them both.

it’s great to read about your support of alzheimers research. i did the walk in our area last year. my mother and my brother both suffered with the nasty disease, now we’re slowing losing my sister. it’s really scary, i’m hoping a cure is discovered soon so my daughters don’t have to worry about it.

These are awesome!

Gorgeous….I love your work. It is so inspired! I love the idea of exploring family history in this way.

Might want to take a look at my latest post about an art scam I encountered. Trying to get the word out about it!

Love your trees, Leah!!!

I am sitting with your question >>> What sort of family history could you pull from for your own creations? <<<<

My parents are 80 and 79 & when my children and I visited this Summer I could no longer deny they are aging a lot faster than they were aging 10 years ago.

Yesterday I facilitated a writing session here in Bakersfield and as the leader, I wrote as the others wrote and started, without any prompting specifically, writing a letter to my mother about how afraid I am for her to leave. She has Parkinson's and has slowed down considerably.

I have decided to begin working on a series of letters which may become a book for my parents as they die up to when they die and also during my grief process. I have used letter writing for years as a way to process whatever it is I am going through so this seems perfect.

I also decided I need to look at my photos and see which ones from today reflect stories I lived/shared as a child with my parents and gift them with these now.

I took one at Dana Point two weeks ago and it is gorgeous – plus it reminded me of my Dad's need for solitude on the water when we were on family vacations. I didn't understand then and I so "get it" now.

I was so happy to read of our synchronicity today, Leah. I have been so busy I haven't been creating as voluminously as I would like so it is a comfort to know you are out here, creating, Mommying, and holding a light for many.

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