Shrouds
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could celebrate death in the same spirit that we celebrate birth?
Shrouds are used to swaddle the body after death before burial or cremation. They have been used by many indigenous cultures as a way of protecting and spiritually revering a beloved one. I started making shrouds as a commission for a friend - as a way of shifting her perspective on and relationship with death. Shrouds can be blessed by the community, family and friends of the one dying and symbolize the love and gratitude encircling the beloved one. Since then, I have created many shrouds and have enjoyed working with clients, their families and trusted helpers to create something unique to celebrate their life.
Shrouds- 9 ½ yards of silk or cotton. Designed in consultation with the dying client or their representative. Used to wrap the body for cremation or burial.
Linda C. was the first person to commission a cloth for the purpose of eventually using it as a shroud. Here is what came out of that collaboration. Later, when my teacher and dear friend, Emilie was dying, Linda and I went to Emilie to share with her the story of how we made Linda’s shroud. We sat at her feet and held this difficult conversation about how we would mourn her and what she might want. Once she got the idea, she said “Red. It has to be red.” I had already started her piece, but I wasn’t going to confess that! It was golden and 9.5 yards of silk. So, I over dyed the piece in scarlet and left a few golden portals, so that we could have easy access to her during the crossing over.