The clay used to make my grief dolls holds deep personal significance. It's the same clay I held and gently rocked two years ago during Clay Cradling. This piece, created during lockdown, was a tender reflection on human mortality, and our relationship to Earth.
In the months following Clay Cradling I continued to keep the clay moist and pliant. I knew the clay held some latent meaning - that its story was yet to unfold, but at that point I didn't know how painful it would be.
Then boom - Manfred died and my world fell apart. Nothing was recognisable except the clay. I clung onto it through the shock and pain. it offered a 'living' link from one world to
the next.
As a homage to Manfred, I created a heart with half of the clay and placed it on his coffin. The other half I continued to water. As long as the clay remained wet it was still 'alive' - it was still responsive to my touch. By tending to the clay in this way, a physical link between myself and Manfred has been maintained. One that continues to develop and evolve through the making of the grief dolls.
It is now October and I have a growing collection of 28 dolls. In the coming weeks, as Manfred's anniversary approaches, I will continue to water what is left of the clay. And I will continue my doll making ritual until all the clay is gone.
Copyright Lu La Buzz 2023