Devoted to the aftermath. the six stages of grief. denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, meaning. Nothing ever goes this smoothly, and orderly, a little soldier moving along at attention. Grief is complex, complicated, and messy. My images are deeply connected to those I’ve lost. Missing embraces, empty spaces, hidden feelings, fragments of memory, history, and the past. My quilt, something tangible, I can wrap myself up in. An embrace from all those lost. Hugs give us hope, they connect us beyond words, convey feelings, and bridge disagreements. Devoted to the aftermath was a journey. How have I been transformed? Language, connection, growth. I’ve found a way, a breakthrough, a world of faith, of ancestorial importance. It’s too soon to see the changes. I can feel them, which is the biggest, most important step towards clarity. Formal, dignified actions that symbolically connect us to something meaningful. It’s all been comforting, closure, past alive, funeral processions, fabric, flowers, and candles.