Path of the Cherimoya

Perspectives on grief, loss and emergence

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A friend of a friend (https://balmerart.com/blog-posts/) who self publishes catalogs about his work inspired me to revisit my wood turning art of the past three years and reflect on the role my art has played along the way to becoming Alone.

Before Richard (my partner of 40 years) died I read a couple of books about dying. One in particular “When Breath Becomes Air” (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25899336-when-breath-becomes-air) was particularly poignant as it was written by a man, Paul Kalanithi who battles and eventually succumbs to metastatic lung cancer. His wife Lucy, wrote the epilogue. While I cannot remember the details (part of my brain’s cleansing activity) I do remember the emotions. Heartbreaking and yet inspiring. Survival was possible without losing the spirit of the love lost.

Initially I started “Path of the Cherimoya” as a way to explain to myself what has been going on in my head both consciously and sub-consciously. As it progressed and started to develop a life of its own I felt comfortable sharing it with a few trusted friends. While intensely personal there is nothing unique about the situation. Many people have and continue to find themselves alone after a mutually compelling relationship comes to an end. “Path of the Cherimoya” represents just one questioning voice where art and personal reflections on life’s changes meld to describe an emotional journey without a destination as yet…

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/path-of-the-cherimoya-first-edition/26337271