Healing Loss & Grief through Collage Art by Corey and Lynn

(Corey) Carly was a twenty four-year-old wife and mother of two girls, a six-year-old and a two-year-old girl. She and her husband, Mark, had endured the devastating preterm stillbirth of a son – a pregnancy that had occurred after two early-term miscarriages, in between the births of their daughters. Although she had sought short-term psychological support just after her son’s death, Carly came in to see me because of lingering feelings of depression and anxiety. She and Mark were also hoping to conceive again soon, although they hadn’t had any “luck.”

Early on, it became apparent that Carly hadn’t had the opportunity to say “goodbye” to the babies she had lost (although, at the time of each Carly and Mark had been urged by their families to do some kind of grief work). She and Mark felt that the best way to heal would be to look forward, rather than back, and while this seemed to help in the short term, she wondered if avoiding her grief meant that it could never truly leave her.

Carly began to create collage images (using torn pieces of magazine pages, glued to large sheets of paper). Through this relatively “safe” media, she brought to the surface the deep and complicated feelings surrounding her multiple losses. As she created she talked. “Oh,” she said, one day. “I see that I’m drawn to all these pictures of dry and barren deserts. I think this must be because I am afraid I won’t be able to have another child. I’m worried that my body can’t nurture another life.”

Three weeks later, Carly announced that she was pregnant and nine months later she delivered a healthy baby girl. She later told me that she needed a “healthy goodbye to make room for new life” and felt that her collage work was a crucial element to this healing process.

As the weeks progressed and Carly explored various themes, she stuck with the same medium, until one day she reached for the water colors. It was then that she painted a valley of wildflowers, nestled amongst rolling purple hills and blue skies. She called this image “Peace” and wrote on the back, “I tried to hold on to you with my grief but it is time to let you go.”

(Lynn) About a year ago, I was given an envelope containing telegrams and cards sent to my father after his mother, my grandmother, died. I glanced at a few of the telegrams, then put the envelope aside. Some months later, I came across a call for collages to be auctioned off to benefit breast cancer research. I immediately thought of making a collage using some of the materials surrounding the death of my grandmother.

I rarely have an idea of what I want the end product to be when I begin a project. I simply start. In this case, the collage had to be 8x10” which was challenging for me as I prefer to work large. But I pulled out a few of the telegrams, the contribution cards, and a letter or two. As I worked, I thought about my grandmother, whom I didn’t know well, but whom my dad called, “the sweetest woman who ever lived.” This was echoed in many of the telegrams and notes. As I read through the contents of the envelope and added layers to the collage, I felt a distinct connection to her.

I sent in my collage, which was among more than 300 donated. Not all sold. When I received the news mine was in that group,  I was a little bit disappointed.

But not long after, my dad died. And then I knew the reason no one bought my collage. It simply needed to stay with me. 

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net.  Corey also is a licensed marriage and family therapist and board certified art therapist. Lynn, a former life coach, is a passionate crafter and loves to explore all kinds of media.

Comments

[Deanna Davis]

Thanks for the wonderful ideas, Corey and Lynn. The artistic process can not only heal grief but also affirm life, as these examples show. Your creativity never ceases to amaze me, and the power of ideas like these to change lives and, quite honestly, the world, is positively inspiring. Thanks for your work and for your words. Deanna Davis, www.deannadavis.net.

[Nurse Barb]

This is a beautiful story about how the creative process can help a person in their own personal journey. Carly was fortunate to have found a trained therapist, Corey, who guided her on her path with grieving her loss. Thanks so much for sharing this wisdom.
Barb

[moncler switzerland]

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