Dignity - Inherent nobility and worth

Dignity - Inherent nobility and worth

Death is a subject that is rarely discussed and it is a purely a personal experience. You are never really prepared to say goodbye, even when you know it’s coming.

Dad was a quiet man. I guess you could say old-fashioned. He knew who he was, stood by his values I can only describe as dignity, and in the ageing process, they never changed. 

As Dad’s days came closer and closer to the end, I saw the noble acts in Dad’s small gestures. Sitting on the side of the bed to button his freshly pressed shirt, his once tall back now curved. In his good manners, he extended to those who helped him, and the concentrated effort it took to advise Mum on subjects he knew backwards. 

Just like this anemone I call Dignity that stands tall with a broken wing, my Father, for those who knew him, on the outside was a shadow of his younger self. His inner gold, like the embroidered stamens of this flower, was a lifetime of knowledge, experience, talent, and wisdom that he humbly would share when asked for.

Dad was never a big talker but he did have one last wish, and that was to die at home. After a lifetime of showing others respect and honoring his word, we came together as a family to return the favour and keep our promise to him. And as he lived his life, Dad farewelled this world and greeted death with the dignity he had so dearly valued.

ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF LIVING AND DYING PROJECT

This project was born out of grief, a time when my Father was dying and the world had been locked down in 2020.

For weeks, my only escape was a handful of flowers, a piece of black cardboard, and a small space. 

Some of my flowers were in the stages of dying, just like my Father. I studied them curiously as they changed shape and form, finding them enchanting just as they were when they were in full bloom. I saw my Father as an old man at the end of his life, still dignified, as the lines blurred with the tall, handsome man I knew as a child. 

I sat embroidering my flowers with my Father, sharing stories, memories, laughter, and tears as he gently surrendered to saying goodbye. I stitched little bits of gold on a leaf or a stamen, like one would embellish a couture gown, or to pay my respects to the creativity of Mother Nature. In each gold stitch, our stories — our past, the present, the old, the new, and the heartbreak of passing — were sewn together.

In the heightened awareness of death, the smallest things seemed to hold great wonder. I saw life in all its stages as ethereal and fragile, and discovered even in dying, in heartbreaking circumstances, there can be beauty, grace, and dignity.

Collaboration with Luz Editions

A project that started out as something personal in a time of grief found a second life when Paula Franco from Luz Editions suggested a collaboration.

I am a longtime super fan of Luz Editions and their devotion to handmade artisanal products that are meaningful pieces. I loved the idea of creating a piece of art on a different medium, exploring a new material by printing the images of The Beauty of Living and Dying onto linen. Together we worked to create a very limited edition precious artwork that had a story and meaning, giving a new life and a voice to a subject rarely discussed or celebrated, Dying.

The project took on an even deeper meaning when an elderly group of women known as ‘Grandmas are Coming to Work’ joined ranks and became involved to handstitch gold thread onto selected parts of the linen flower images. 

Their story is amazing, like many elderly people full of creativity, wit, wisdom, experience, and energy; this group of grandmas said no to becoming overlooked and obsolete, and banded together to create a dynamic workroom taking on handmade projects, sharing, teaching, and passing on the know-how of techniques to newcomers.

Known as ‘specialists in optimism’, with slogans such as ‘Old is the new young’ and ‘Grandma is not for sale but the products she makes are,’ we had all the ingredients to make a beautiful piece of art, a keepsake that maybe would touch others who too had their own experience of a loved one passing or simply a piece of beauty to live with daily.  

So many wonderful artisanal ingredients came together: Paula’s vision, each image screen printed onto linen, no two the same, leaves stitched around the edge to create a beautiful border, the Grandmas’ careful hands and stitches embellishing and beautifying, and the linen's earthy, organic appearance lending a timeless quality to the images of this project. 

We hope you love them and decide to treasure them as we do. 

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

No two pieces of linen are the same, therefore the give and take between the image and the texture creates a mystical layer, kind of like the process of working in the darkroom where chance is also involved, and each linen artwork is slightly different to the next one. 

The linen fabric softens sharp edges and blends colors subtly, giving the piece a warm, lived-in feel, creating a sense of authenticity, nostalgia, and transmission just like the passing of a loved one. 

The pieces can be hung in your home using their beautiful black tabs or pressed and framed as you would do with any piece of precious artwork. As it has been hand embroidered with love, we don’t recommend using it as a tea towel as it is tender and made with love.

• 70 x 47 cm
• 100% Linen, 180gsm
• Screen printed and hand-stitched in Portugal

Care Instructions

This linen art print is dry clean only and should not be washed. If you wish to smooth out creases before framing, a gentle steam or a light press with a low iron will restore its finish beautifully.

SPECIAL OFFER:
Purchase 2 or more linen art prints and receive 15% off your order.
Discount automatically applied at checkout.