How Art Heals-WEB

57 “I got in touch with the sadness I felt about my grandfather’s death, my first major loss, back in 1959. He played a large role in my life; the sorrow of losing him still cuts to the quick. It was the first time I experienced Jewish burial rituals: the immediate family rips their clothing, sits on the f loor (or on stools), and “sits shiva” for seven days while relatives and friends visit to comfort them. “Grandpop could solve any problem. When he sewed a heavy binding for a story I had written and illustrated, I felt loved and recognized. I remem- ber that feeling to this day. He ‘got’ me; he was the only one who did. “The skeleton in Laid Bare may look like a desiccated ancestor, but it’s also a soul casting off what it no longer needs. For this ancestor, the spiritual vehicle is religion. He wears a Jewish prayer shawl and holds a Hebrew book. But no matter what the vehicle, the point is to lay oneself bare : an unfortunate contrast to the obfuscation and lies that characterize our political discourse these days.” I tried to lay myself bare when I made this piece. It was a unique experience. I think I actually felt like I was making contact with my ancestors. It felt more blessed than sad, like I had entered a sacred space. This was one of the pieces where you start on the right path with no false starts. The work just f lowed. I felt very good when I f inished. It was communicating—I felt—just what I had wanted it to say.