The Fabric of her Life

Three completed memorial candle holders

I am completing an order of five Yahrzeit candle bridges to honor the memory of a beloved wife and mother.

Rainbow iridescent cobalt blue glass and dichroic glass letters are used in my  traditional design.

raw glass in the kiln resting on lava cloth

What makes these different from other bridges I have made is the texturing on the bottom.

I fused these on textured lava cloth which imprints a fabric pattern (herringbone) on the bottom. Because the glass is transparent you can see the faint texture showing through.

herringbone texture on the back

My father was a tailor and my mother knitted. It isn't a surprise that many of my art metaphors have emerged from an early exposure to the fiber world. This family is close....and their lives are intricately woven together. I had the pleasure of knowing the Mother who passed away two years ago. She blessed this family with love and a deep sense of connectedness. She maintained the "loom" and weaving a tapestry of family gatherings, celebrations, and more.

Blessings to her family as they observe this second anniversary of her passing. As they light their candles, they will recall the many blessings she bestowed on them.  The letters zahyin and lamed are abbreviations for zichro livracha: May her memory be for a blessing.

A Yahrzeit Candle is Packed and Shipped!

I am honored to have been asked to create a yahrzeit candle for another family in St. Louis.

This style is free form and features several design elements.

Silver and bronze mica is embedded between layer of black and clear. Dichroic, red, turquoise and green glass were added to the top. On the green, red and turquoise glass there are verses from traditional prayers of mourning hand printed in white gold ink. 

I also made memorial stones to set out each time a specific yahrzeit is observed. As each stone is written, I recall a parent, uncle, aunt, cousin or friend who has passed. The names don't necessarily belong to my family/friend circle...but names like aunt, grandpa, mom....are the common links. Death is a part of our life cycle....and grieving is a process....or at least, it should be.  I am humbled by the thought that I can contribute to another family holding a name alive, treasuring memories, and using the tradition of yahrzeit to memorialize the name of a precious soul.

Memory Stones

Each set of stones is bagged for safe keeping

Four sets of memorial stones were ordered to accompany the four Yahrzeit candle bridges.

They are wrapped , packed, and ready to be shipped. 

As I worked with each of these memorial stones, I felt the incredible power of NAMING.

Our tradition of formally remembering those who have passed on the anniversary of their death is quite powerful. Uttering their names, calling up who they were makes it all the more meaningful.

We are remembered by our good names. All that we do contributes to who we are/were.

Even though I didn't know these individuals, names like Papa, Bubbie, and Zeydeh, stirred something deep inside. 

I sat outside with the finished stones and called up my own ancestors. I expressed gratitude for the legacies they passed on to me. My forested backyard held singing birds, playful squirrels, and for just a moment, my parents and grandparents and all others who came before me. 

It seems fitting that I follow this with a talk today at a local high school about the Holocaust and the story of my family- a story of memory and survival.

Yahrzeit Candle Bridges

The Hebrew abbreviation L"Z stands for Zichrono Livracha- of blessed memory!

Here's a quick kiln shot of three out of four of the yahrzeit candle holders 
I was commissioned to make. The fourth bridge is finishing its slumping program and then 
I'll take a final photo and will post it before wrapping and shipping them !

It's a powerful experience, crafting a yahrzeit bridge. It's important to me to honor those who came before me....even those I never knew. It's a powerful reminder of my own losses: my mother and father....and all the other wonderful family members who have been gone for so many years.

I just finished writing the info. sheet I include with each order. 

In this latest version I wrote: This bridge features the letters zayin and lamed, an abbreviation for “ zichrono livracha” 

May the flame of your candle shine brightly,  allowing the memories of those you remember to be filled with light, warmth  and blessing.

Hebrew Letters in Glass

Hebrew abbreviation- honorific for someone who has passed away

The letters zion and lamed are abbreviations for zihrono livracha and basically means:   "of blessed memory".

These letters are cut from pieces of dichroic glass and haven't yet been fused onto base glass.

I'll be making three yahrzeit candle bridges for a commission.

Yahrzeit is a Yiddish/German word meaning year's time. Once a year we light a 24 hour candle to memorialize the passing of a loved one on the anniversary of their death (lunar calendar.)