As more individuals opt to be cremated rather than buried when they pass from this earthly plane, families no longer have a traditional gravesite to visit. But now a company called Artful Ashes in Seattle is offering people a very creative way to memorialize their loved ones after they pass by incorporating the ashes of the deceased into a colorful and tasteful glass sculpture.
Artful Ashes can create either a spherical or heart-shaped form in which to feature the ashes of the departed loved one, and family members are even invited to the company’s Seattle-based studio to watch as their custom-made Artful Ashes sculpture is painstakingly created. Family members can also choose their preferences from among a range of bright colors to use in the memorial sculpture. Then the professional glassblower gets to work, carefully rolling the ashes of their loved one right into the molten glass, where it can be preserved for generations to come.
Once the sculpture has been created and fully cooled, there is a noticeable swirl of pale foam contained within that is actually the ashes of the loved one. The sculptures are small enough to display on a desk or fireplace mantel. And because each sculpture needs only about a tablespoon full of the ashes of the deceased, customers can order several sculptures to distribute throughout the family.
Each sculpture also come with a lighted stand so that the sculpture can be illuminated from within, making it a true work of art. And if an individual or family desiring an Artful Ashes sculpture doesn’t live in the greater Seattle area, the company can do everything by mail order, shipping the final product directly to the customer to be treasured as both keepsake and a memorial to their departed loved one.