For the last year, having undergone training with the Fellowship of Independent Celebrants, I have been working as a celebrant creating and delivering ceremonies for momentous occasions in people’s lives, such as weddings, vow renewals and funerals. I love the work – it’s an honour and a privilege to do it, and it’s rewarding on so many levels, particularly the funerals, where I meet people at what is often the most devastating times in their lives, and create for them a personal and meaningful farewell ceremony for their loved ones. I believe in offering choice and creating ceremonies that reflect THEIR values, beliefs and lifestyle. One of the roles I usually have as a celebrant is to write and read a eulogy or tribute for the departed, so I spend a while with their family finding out about their loved one’s life, achievements, attitude and hearing some great anecdotes. This has consolidated my belief that EVERYONE has a story, and I like to tell that as best I can at the funeral service with words.
But after the event, those stories are staying with me, and I find I am starting to tell them in images too – these anecdotes have started to feed my art work. I’m not 100% happy with the work so far and I’m not sure where I’m going with it, if anywhere, but I am enjoying honouring the people I never met in pictures as well as words, and hope they would be chuffed that a little bit of their life was being illustrated. Here’s what I’ve done so far….
“Even in her 70’s nobody could beat here at table tennis”.
“He never really got over the death of his mother.”