This beautiful, handmade book was created to capture an amazing experience of social art making following my miscarriage in 2015. Readers of my blog were invited to send me their own tokens of love and loss to be cremated with my little Tamlorn. The book documents in a simple and elegant way that shared experience and suggests ways to use ritual and connection to mourn the often hidden and taboo losses of miscarriage or infertility.
The original book was hand written and painted, embroidered with velvet, silk and pearls, hand bound using coptic stitching, and the cover is wrapped in silk. It’s very precious to Rose and I, and not available for sale.
I did create a digital version of the book which is a scan of the hand embellished version. I’ve had this professionally printed as a beautiful A5 book which is available for sale in my Etsy Shop.
Mourning the Unborn is often given as a gift to friends who have experienced miscarriage or infertility. It is also showcased as part of my Exhibition Waiting for You.
A hand written page with a gilded artwork on this right.
The artwork on the right is called Tree Spirit: Infertility and is available to buy separately as an art print.
Some of the names of unborn children who were sent to me through the blog to be cremated with my Tamlorn. The watercolour on the right has seed pearls sewn into it.
On the right a silk ribbon embroidered flower
Cover of the first digital print
Sarah K Reece 