This virtual gallery is an immersive 3D experience in which you’ll be able to view collaborative works of art featuring departed pets, along with moving plants, fish, butterflies, and colorful spaces that define what it means to respect and honor. 

​

The gallery was sculpted in order to create joy and happiness for those who have recently experienced the death of a pet.

With a little visionary help and community acceptance, someone who's experiencing major grief over a pet’s passing can experience joy and happiness again when thinking of their beloved pet.

​

The gallery exhibition will showcase 7 digitally created works of art. This gallery is not only for those grieving but for community members to visit in order to validate those grieving. Community acceptance is key in order for those to heal. 

What is strange to me is that in western cultures, society does not feel it is acceptable to outwardly mourn the death of pets. This leads to the bottling of emotions which leads to depression, anxiety, and many other negative illnesses. When this happens someone's life can be ultimately consumed with grief. The goal of this project is to speak with those grieving, listen to them and their stories about the relationship with their pet, and co-create a beautiful piece of digital art that will showcase the true nature and spirit of their pet. 

​

My inspiration for this project came from the feelings of sadness and empathy while watching friends and family members lose pets. I really feel for them because I know what it feels like to lose someone whom you cared about with intense passion. I also know what it feels like to have others in the community cut off communication about that loss because they don’t know what to say to you, and most are afraid of saying something wrong. So nothing is said at all, which can leave you in a very dark and lonely time. So, to express my love for them and acknowledge that loss I started creating pieces of art of their pets in order to make them smile again. 

​

This gallery is essential for those grieving and for the bolstering of community acceptance when it comes to validating grief. It will give those who cannot cope, ways of honoring their pet through artistic means. 

​

Due to COVID, a virtual gallery was created in order to lay the groundwork for in-person gallery showings that will draw local community members in.