**THIS IS FOR AN ORDER OF TEN STAR ORNAMENTS. THEY ARE RANDOM DESIGNS AND NOT CUSTOM COLORS. IF POSSIBLE I WILL ASK YOU FOR SOME FAVORITE COLOR RECOMMENDATIONS BUT THAT IS NOT GUARANTEED.**
Grief painting became my thing shortly after Lorelei died in July 2021. I think what I initially loved most about “grief painting” was that, just like grief itself, there was no “wrong way” of doing it. In a world where everything is right or wrong, black or white, life or death… I found myself without a skillset, tons of colors, and nothing I had to keep alive when I had a brush in my hand. I made up the rules. I considered nothing ugly. I connected my moment of grief or trending emotion with every single creation. So I kept at it. Eventually landing on my “Hope Stars for Benji” collection.
If you have been following our story for the last few years, you know that Benji’s hashtag (because all kids have hashtags these days, right??) is #StarsForBenji. When I was a few months pregnant with him and we received the news that like Lorelei, Benji too had Mitochondrial Disease, my husband and I chose to look up. Look up to God. Look up to the Universe. Look up to all the beautiful stars that shined in the darkness.
Every single star I have painted is its own. Each one is unique and a mess. No two stars that are the same. Some are colorful and bright like Lorelei. Some are stoic and quiet like Benji. I have numbered every star I have painted because I feel like that documents my trek through grief. Or maybe it’s my trek to healing?
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these #HOPEstarsforbenji will go to Mitochondrial Disease research through “Lorelei and Benji’s Fund for a Mito Cure” at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Thank you all for your support, love and most of all, continued HOPE.
Ornaments are 3.5 to 4 inches in diameter, raw unfinished slices of wood with a ribbon or string for hanging.
Again, every star has been numbered, documenting where I was after losing Lorelei and continuing to face Mitochondrial Disease with Benji. The star number isn't listed on the front of the ornament.