The Artists’
Grief Deck

How-to

Welcome to the Artists’ Grief Deck. There is no correct way to use these cards, but we have these suggestions:

  • Set aside time for yourself to go through them
  • Find or make a space for yourself
  • Look closely at the images
  • Be open to the feelings that arise
Learn More

Weathering Feelings

close your eyes and look out the window of your mind. tell me, how fares the sky? is it dull or bright? heavy or light? be there sun or rain or fog or? — no matter what you find, just brea...

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Combating the Finitude of the Grave

You find a deer mouse lifeless at your doorstep and bury it in the yard. Place your pencil on the page where you imagine the grave. Now begin to trace the contour of the mouse: the skeleton, the pulmo...

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Getting to Know Myself

I comfort myself by… I find hope in… My friends give me…...

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Using Your Hands to Remember Their Hands

If you have clay or playdough allow your hands to squish, mold, or shape it. Using a toothpick or pencil, write your loved one’s name in the clay/dough. Spend a minute remembering a way they worked...

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Writing to Cope

When I am going through a difficult phase I tend to bottle everything up. I used to think it was normal to do this and that it was a more efficient way of dealing with my feelings. Through doing this...

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A photograph of a white person's hand holding a photograph of an older white woman. In the background is a large body of water.

Carry Them With You

Find or create a likeness of your lost loved one. It could be a photograph, a small sculpture, an object that belonged to the person or something else. Choose something that represents them at their b...

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A very realistic pencil drawing of a mountain with less detailed images of wooden poles placed at different angles in the foreground. There is a very small human figure off to the left.

Living With Loneliness

Loneliness is in integral part of grief. It is hard to accept and feel the loneliness of loss. Consider filling some of the emptiness you feel with other people and activities, such as volunteering or...

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Tunnel Life

Upul said, "Betty be a tunnel" Betty be a tunnel the dread the love the breath the loss You are a tunnel let life go through...

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The Hardest Thing

If I could say one thing to the person who died, I would… The hardest thing about life without this person is…....

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Lost Time

Time is one thing we can never, ever get back. Having a chronic illness caused me to lose the experience of having a normal life by any stretch of the imagination from 2012-2016 and our current pandem...

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Talking to Loved Ones

Whenever I am grieving over the loss of my loved ones, I talk to them in my head about whatever it is I’m going through, knowing that I won’t be able to hear their answer but also believing that t...

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Meditation for Lighting a Candle

Upon lighting — becoming aware of anything you are grieving or wanting to honor as it is lost to the earth and the stars — (ex. a person, or beliefs about this country, world, a relationship, a pa...

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The Grief of Growth

Often when we go through a major change in our lives, we unknowingly mourn the loss of that version of ourselves. This death of a self can also occur through good change, and we get confused about why...

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Tiempo Para Sanar/ Time to Heal

No estas exagerando, es algo que te duele y esta bien que necesites tiempo para sanar. ¡Tómate tu tiempo, pero no demores; hay mucho por hacer! You are not exaggerating, it is something that hurts...

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A digital painting - a small fluffy white cloud, fading into mist on either side, floats against a sky blue gradient, from dark blue at the top to light gray at the bottom.

Instructions for Becoming a Cloud

lie back and rest on the razors edge of earth and sky look up to the clouds now let go...

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A black and white photo collage. The bare torso of a black man extends his arms forward and clenches his hands together. Caught within those hands is a smaller image of the shirtless black man, his arms constrained by the large hands within which he's held.

People Grieve Differently

Not everyone grieves alike. Some express grief through their feelings and gain comfort from talking to others. Still others express grief through actions and problem-solving, preferring not to talk ab...

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The Bricklayer’s Dream

What do we do simply for beauty or love or joy? What do we do to enrich others? We spend so much of our lives shuttling ourselves from home to work and back again, sometimes losing sight of our humani...

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Connecting Through Memories

Even though your loved one is no longer physically present, they will always live in your memories. Take a moment to re-connect with your loved one through a few favorite memories. Review photos or vi...

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From the left, an arrow pointing up reading 'inhale,' leading to a short arrow pointing right reading 'hold,' leading to another arrow pointing up reading 'inhale,' to another pointing right reading 'hold,' continuing in a stairstep pattern until the topmost arrow pointing right reading 'hold,' leads to a long arrow pointing all the way down reading 'exhale,' and a long arrow on the bottom pointing left reading 'hold,' making a continuous loop around the page of white.

The Power of Breath

We can calm ourselves through our breath. Use the pattern on the front of this card to guide you. Repeat 3 times or more. Notice how you feel....

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