Author Archives: Julia Michas (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

Cloth as an Expression of Memory

Cherishing the clothes of loved ones lost

Cloth holds the memory of the person who wore it; it’s the reason why the clothing of someone who has died is often so cherished by their loved ones. Even if these clothes no longer serve a functional purpose to … Continue reading

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Etruscan Sarcophagi and the Marriage Bed (Part 2 of 2)

Etruscan burials and the marriage bed.

As time progressed, there was a cross-cultural pollination between the Etruscans and Greeks, where the former’s art evolved to bear the characteristics of their Hellenic neighbor’s. The highly stylized plasticity of the Etruscan figures yielded to an increasing realism, while … Continue reading

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Etruscan Sarcophagi and the Marriage Bed (Part 1 of 2)

An Ancient Civilization Views Death as a Banquet in the Afterlife

Despite their extensive historical legacy, the Romans were not the only ancient civilization to populate Italy.  The Etruscans were a tribe located in what is currently known as Tuscany, though the famous historian Herodotus traces their origins to Asia Minor. … Continue reading

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Richard Carter’s Post-Mortem Cast “Troy Simon Burdine II”

The History of Death Masks

Troy Simon Burdine II was a casualty of the AIDS epidemic, so rife in the Bay Area during the nineties. Moribund after years of fighting the virus, he petitioned his friend Richard Carter to cast his full body after death. … Continue reading

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The Ephemeral Art of Tracey Kessler: Grieving and the Painting Process

Exploring the meditative, therapeutic process behind painting during the grieving process

Tracey Kessler always had an artistic spirit; she worked in the design industry and painted recreationally throughout her life.  When her mother, Sara Lou, suddenly passed away from pulmonary fibrosis in October 2010, Tracey took up her brush and created … Continue reading

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