Loss can take words from us, we often struggle to express how profoundly our life has changed, to find ways to recognise and honour our grief, and to connect with our friends and family. Art can help us to heal.

I have painted flowers on people at funerals, brought to life commissions based on feelings or dreams, and created memorials artworks on skin that wear off over time.

This was a commissioned ink painting created for a woman with a trauma history who wished to have an artwork that represented a child at peace.

This was a henna glove design for a woman’s who’s friend passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. We made all the arrangements over email and sat in a garden together to create the design three days before the funeral.

These beautiful henna designs are of ‘angel babies’, commemorating pregnancy loss. The hands are mine and my partner Rose’s. The image on the left was inspired by a beautiful woven baby-wearing wrap Natibaby Ascend.

This ‘angel baby’ was painted with skin safe ink. It lasts a much shorter time than henna, days rather than weeks. These can be used to trial a tattoo that is then permanently inked by a professional tattoo artist. Alternatively they are valued by people who’s work requires that any skin art must be removed easily before their next work shift.