I keep making these paintings of things from the home I grew up in. They say that elderly people die more quickly if you remove them from the home they lived their lives in. It makes sense that there is an emotional side to leaving these familiar spaces: whether this happens when you are a child, an adult or when you are much older. There are things we can do to help process this type of grief. I paint to help me with this. But, there are many options for processing grief. A great site on the topic is here: http://www.journey-through-grief.com/ Great places to explore on this site:   Contemplative Photography:  http://www.journey-through-grief.com/dealing-with-grief.html Memory Books:  http://www.journey-through-grief.com/make-memory-books.html Grief Journaling: http://www.journey-through-grief.com/grief-journaling.html Grief Poetry: http://www.journey-through-grief.com/grief-poems.html Memorial Gardens: http://www.journey-through-grief.com/memorial-gardens.html We can’t change the reality that we experience more and more loss as we age. That means we have to create a space to process our grief. I created the piece of art (below) to help me prepare for the day when my mother will pass away and the day when my childhood home will be sold. These will be big “Grieving Days” for me. I have to prepare. I paint so I can go back to these places: even if I do so by revisiting my canvases rather than the actual physical places that inspired them. My painting below, Pink Lamp and Poppies, lets me do this. I have found a place where I can deal with grief and loss. I hope today’s blog will help you find a place, too. Or, perhaps you already have found your place to do this. If you have a place to do this that you feel will help others, share it here at Journey On Canvas Blog. Together we can help others journey with us.