Mending the Soul: Artistic Journey of Grief and Renewal

Grief has a way of reshaping the landscape of our lives—quietly, irrevocably. For many of us, especially those who create, art becomes the place we go to find ourselves again. It’s not always tidy, not always clear—but the process of making something can help us hold what feels otherwise too heavy to carry.

In 2022, I found myself exploring these emotional contours through a deeply personal project I called A Father's Ties. At its core, it was about grieving and becoming—about honoring what was lost and gently stepping into what might come next.

"The Ties That Bind" was created on a 30" x 40"canvas that was painted with a mixture of sand, joint compound, and acrylic paint. Then overlaid with 22 of my father's neckties that he collected over the years

This body of work unfolded through mixed-media installations. Each piece was less about perfection and more about presence—about being with my emotions as they were. Some days, it felt like I was painting my pain. Other days, I was sculpting hope. But always, I was in conversation with my heart.

"Head in the Clouds, Taking Root & Bearing Fruit, Feet Firmly Grounded" was created on a 40" x 16" canvas that was painted metallic gold then overlaid with gold leaf. Each bird tail-shaped row has it's own name and is created from 9 of my father's neckties.

What surprised me most was how the work began to speak for itself. Art, I’ve come to believe, can say things we’re not ready—or able—to put into words. It transcends language and logic. In sharing this project, I connected with others who were also moving through loss. We didn’t need to explain. The art held space for all of it: the ache, the resilience, the flickers of renewal.

"Precious Threads" was created on a 36" x 24" canvas that was painted with a mix of latex house paints that had been thinned with Floetrol pouring medium. I then covered the canvas with 26 of my father's neckties.

As I adhered fabric to canvas and hand to texture, I began to realize I was shaping more than just materials—I was slowly shaping myself. The process didn’t erase my grief, but it gave it form. It allowed me to sit with the sorrow without being consumed by it. And in that sitting, something softened. Something shifted.

"A Colorful Life" was the final piece to this project. Created on a 20" x 16" canvas that had been painted using fluid acrylics, it was woven from 38 of my father's neckties.

A Father's Ties wasn’t just an art project. It became a ritual of remembrance, a practice of healing, and a testament to the quiet ways we keep going. It reminded me that even in the aftermath of deep loss, there is still beauty to be made—still stories to tell through color, form, and feeling.

For those of us who create, this is our offering to the world and to ourselves. A chance to mend—not all at once, but piece by piece, with honesty and care. And in doing so, we find we’re not just rebuilding what was broken—we’re becoming something new.

Grief has its own language, and sometimes, art is how we learn to speak it. Let your creativity become your compass. What might your hands say if you let them?