Alumni Update: Karine Le Logeais aka Kness
We’d like to introduce you to Kness (Karine Le Logeais), a graduate of the Death Companioning Community Crash Course. There are so many ways to be a deathworker, and we’re delighted to get to share some of Karine’s experience with all of you.
When you came into the DCCCC, where were you at/what made you decide to take the jump?
When I made the decision, my goal was to answer the question : what do I say to my customers who want a memorial piece for a pet? I had heard Cole on Ologies and this is one episode I came back to regularly, she seemed like the right fit for me, the no bs, scientific approach is my way to go, too. When the cohort opened I was 6 months in grieving the loss of my first dog so it made sense to go further in with less of the raw emotion and more distance and understanding of what people go through.
What conflict, confusion, or apprehension were you facing?
I was really puzzled by the standard approach to grief, I'm a professional and people come to me for a memorial piece: should I address the loss and talk about their loved one, or should I just stay on topic and be factual about my part of the work? I was also struggling with how my own loss and grief was articulating into this. As a very empathetic person and an autistic woman, I feel all the feelings and I wanted to both be available for my customers and also not be too much and keep a distance.
Since completing the course, what resolved for you? What made sense or where did you find clarity?
I learned that despite what I wanted to know in the beginning there is no ready made answer to anyone who comes to me with their grief. Which makes so much sense, we're all unique and our grief takes many shapes from one person to another and even throughout our lives. The DCCCC helped me form my own answers and connect when it's appropriate, stay distant when people are not ready or willing to share with me. It's all very clear to me now and I think I can find the right words for my customers most of the time. If I can't, my work often speaks for me.
What does deathwork look like for you now?
Deathwork was a big big word in the beginning, I was kind of afraid to be confronted with this huge behemoth that is Human Grief but the DCCCC taught me that I could just take on my little part of it. I focus on people's grief for their pet, either living or already passed away. It's a very niche subject and at the same time it's not at all, most people lose a pet and most likely several in their lifetime. It's often dismissed and ignored, but at the same time humans have acknowledged grief for their pets for millenia. It's neither silly nor light, it's very important.
People come to me with an idea to remember and celebrate the life of their pets with a handmade ceramics piece. It can take several shapes: I work on memorial urns where a pet's ashes can be placed. Urns are topped with a sculpted portrait of the pet and sometimes their little toy or favorite object. People can pick the urn's color, add an inscription and details. We talk about their ideas and I guide them through the practical solutions and artistic ideas and options. Very often, they will share memories and little habits they had with their pets, they will also share tons of pictures, which helps me portray the animals in their uniqueness.
Pets can also be honored with a figurine, a piece of porcelain jewelry, a jewelry tray with their sculpted portrait, or a tableware piece like a mug, bowl, or cup. I often create these special pieces for the pet owner but sometimes it's also a gift from a friend or family member to the grieving person which I find so beautiful and caring.
In short, deathwork for me is helping people with their grief after losing a pet by making something tangible that they can also have a part in creating by sharing their ideas and memories.
Testimonial for the Daisy Mug pictured above, shared with permission:
"Can I just say how healing it is to see her look healthy on a mug considering how sick and skinny she was at the end. You just captured her joy and love so perfectly I’m just…. Ugh thank you 🥹"
What advice would you give to another artist or maker seeking to also be a deathworker?
Take the DCCCC and study! I think that it truly made my work more grounded and it makes more sense now, it's not just done because there's a market or a demand, it's mindfully done in a way that respects people's grief and memories of their beloved animals. Like Cole said, it's making the intangible tangible and that's helping people.
I would also tell them not to be afraid of doing this, as artists we have a long tradition of making grief visible, honoring this while being more knowledgeable and intentional about it can only help make better art.
Testimonials from Karine’s customers—used with permission
Memorial figurines for two family dogs:
"We love it so much. These gifts really helped us and it will definitely be cherished for all our lives. Thank you so so much! What you do changes lives."
"I ordered a small sculpture of my mom’s dog who passed away in June as a Christmas gift. She was in tears when she opened it, and she still talks about it over a month later. I’m just so appreciative that I could get something for her to remember him by and curb that sadness just the tiniest bit. The sculpture was perfect. Thank you so much."
You can learn more about Karine’s work on her website here: www.kness.fr
(Direct link to the English version here: https://www.kness.fr/en/ceramic-animals-illustration/
