Tiny Hands
There is music in every person. Sometimes it’s a love song, sometimes it’s a lament. Sometimes I don’t know the words to the melody of my heart’s song which aches for my son, but it’s always there, beating away in my chest. I am so blessed to have a thoughtful and musically talented friend. Candace is in a band with her twin sister Karli; they call themselves Drowning Ophelia. Candace and Karli played in the gallery during my latest exhibition in an evening of art and music. It was in the second set they played: Candace was standing in front of a portrait of my husband which symbolized his grief after our loss. Then Candace surprised me. She told me and the crowd that she wrote a song for my family, a song for Zachary. Her lyrics moved me deeply and put words to...
Read MoreWanted Chosen Planned Updates
Coming back from vacation is always a time of productivity for me. I get rejuvenated and inspired with new ideas. Now, back at my desk, I have added a few new features to Wanted, Chosen, Planned. Resources This is a brand new page and I would love your help in filling in the blanks. I believe people are stronger together and so if you have a blog, a service or a resource for bereaved parents please email me (info@alexismariechute.com). Portraits of Healing For a limited time I am offering free portraits as a part of my artwork called The Quiet Rebuild, creating Portraits of Healing for exhibition and publication in a book. If you want to participate, please get in touch. I will be doing upcoming photo shoot dates across Canada and the United States. Public...
Read MoreAn Invitation to Share your Story
When Zachary died, I felt terribly alone and like a failure as a mother. Naively I believed that babies didn’t die anymore in technologically advanced places like Canada. No one in my circle of friends and family had talked about their own experience. Sex education didn’t teach me the stats nor did my parents or my doctor warn me when I got pregnant. I was not prepared for what happened to me, though you likely can never be fully prepared. Did others feel this way? Our culture doesn’t cope with death in a healthy manner. The mindset seems to be that once the funeral is over you must pick yourself up and move on. Speaking for myself, my journey of grief didn’t really begin until after the memorial. I needed so much in that first year in particular, needs that I am...
Read MoreStillbirth Led Robert Munsch to Write Love You Forever
Have you read Robert Munsch’s book, Love You Forever? Do you know the story behind it? I’ve owned a copy of Love You Forever my whole life, but I didn’t understand the impetus behind the book until my sister-in-law sent me a message with the link to Munsch’s website. That’s where I learned that the author penned the song in Love You Forever after his wife had two stillborn babies. “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living my baby you’ll be.” Munsch could not actually sing the song for a long time because of the strong emotions that came up when he tried. He eventually wrote the song into a book that he had intended as a children’s story but to the surprise of Munsch, and his publishers, the story appealed to people of all ages....
Read MoreIt’s all about Art and Healing: Conferences, Artist Talks & Exhibition
I am a passionate person and some of the things that I am passionate about include: Family Creativity Healing There are some exciting events coming up that bring together my passions and I would love to share them with you. FEBRUARY 2014 “The Quiet Rebuild” Exhibition February 1-28, 2014 – Friday, February 7, 2013, 6 – 10 p.m. Art Central, 100 – 7th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada Fridays, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. & Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. OR by appointment, 780-499-4311 Exhibition description: Award winning photographer Alexis Marie Chute has created a series of provocative images of individuals in their time of healing following hardship. The portraits are symbolic of the regrowth of a forest after wildfire. As new growth...
Read MoreCreativity to Ease the Pain
I have been an artist and writer all my life. Somehow I refused to let go of the child-like desire to color, paint, build block towers, write short stories and pen poetry as I grew. Working as an artist and writer have been very fulfilling for me. Then when Zachary died, I stopped. For one whole year, what I call my Year of Distraction, I couldn’t be creative nor did I even try. I lost myself in so many ways. It was when I got back into my work that I realized the amazing potential of creativity to help find a way through my grief – and this creativity is not reserved for just professional artists and writers. It’s for everyone. Creativity itself is mysterious, spiritual and healing. Creativity taps into a different part of our brains and allows us to express...
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