︎ Grief workshop; commemorative patches ︎ ︎ ︎ ︎︎
Grief Must be Love With Nowhere to Go is a collaboration between Chris Alton and Emily Simpson. Having each been through significant losses in our mid-20s, we found the English vocabulary for communicating experiences of grief and bereavement to be lacking. We began having conversations about loss through art making and invited others to join us, in the hope of finding common ground.
We’ve facilitated workshops, where people are supported to create a ‘patch’ which reminds them of their grief, or someone that’s died. The patches are loosely inspired by Victorian mourning customs, as well as Queer pronoun pins, sunflower lanyards; non-verbal ways of signaling an identity to others. What if there was something we could wear, which signals the position we have in grief? How could this gesture better support us to offer the necessary emotional support to grievers? And by not having these things in place, what does that say about societies attitudes to mourners?
In the workshop, we guide people through basic design, sewing and embroidery techniques. The communal activity acts as a ‘softener’ for difficult conversations, creating a space that words are invited to fill.
In order to facilitate these gatherings, we’ve both undertaken specialist training (Mental Health First Aid and Counselling Skills). We have also worked closely with an access consultant to understand how we can facilitate both our own needs, and the needs of participants before and after the sessions.
The workshops and gatherings where delivered with support from Bloc Projects, 422 Arts and with funding from Arts Council England.
For futher information, or to enquire about how this workshop could be adapted to your organisation please send an emai to: emilyjrsimpson@gmail.com
