By Kayte Bush
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Beautiful Grief
The Things They Left Behind: Grief, Discovery, and Remembrance
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Through June 26
Gallery at Creative Pinellas
Details here
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I approached the Gallery at Creative Pinellas anxious to see the second half of their amazing dual exhibit, this one featuring the artwork and memories from loved ones who have passed away. After the last two years of heartbreak and loss, my expectations were heavy. I brought tissues and my husband for support. This visit was personal for me – we have all lost so much and to create something so special out of such pain, is a rare thing.
The exhibit was inspired by a discussion surrounding artist and philanthropist Suzanne Ruley, who was one of the one million Americans lost to COVID. But she was so much more – a longtime philanthropist, artist and all-around amazing human who is missed by so many.
Mrs. Ruley’s husband provided a beautiful array of her work for display. I was incredibly impressed by her simple yet perfect pointillism, graphite and charcoal pieces, self-portraits, and the depth of color she achieved on canvas.
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Mrs. Ruley is still inspiring others, even though she is no longer with us. I felt a connection to her immediately upon walking into the room displaying such eclectic works of art, and I was surprised when I walked out of that room feeling as though I had just run into an old friend, one who I will never meet.
All of the pieces on display were so very different from one another – they felt very personal and truly gave a glimpse of who these folks were. There is a unique humanism to a gourd carved into a birdhouse, a walking stick with a handle whittled to precision and a personalized license plate. I couldn’t help but feel the void left by their absence.
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Yet, the atmosphere as we went from room to room – each filled with tissues and memorial flowers, was not ‘heavy’ as I assumed – it was anything but. We were met with an incredibly warm greeting, our hostess showing us to the many rooms of the exhibit, including a place to write and hang your own words or memorial art and a meditation room following the exhibit.
I was very surprised that I didn’t leave with a tear-stained face but instead, a soft gentle nudge towards healing. I felt as though I had gotten to know these beloved artists, their family members and friends.
The lives they led, now had meaning to me and left me wondering about the artist who carved an umbrella holder out of a tree stump, or the creator of the most beautiful powder horn I have ever seen. Why did one love the beach so and another, cardinals? These thoughts, these questions, now rattling around in my brain as I attempted to meditate gave me a release that I was unprepared for.
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It was no longer an exhibit about COVID, loss or the pain and anguish that you feel when people leave, it is a celebration. A celebration of life, art, achievement and creativity.
Most of all, it is one of the first steps on a path to the healing we all so desperately need. Feel free to bring your tissues but also be prepared to perhaps find yourself smiling at the reference to Caldor’s department store or a rich field of poppies, bringing you back to the first time watching The Wizard of Oz in color.
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Everyone experiences tragedy and loss in their own way and has their own grief process, but mine had never before been so impacted by art.
The tissues are still in my purse, my rock (my husband) wandered off on his own several times as I didn’t need to grasp his hand as I imagined. I feel honored knowing so much more about these artists and their legacy of things left behind, which have motivated me to start looking forward to heal.
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You can download a PDF with all the people featured in
The Things They Left Behind, and why these works were chosen by their loved ones. . . .
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