Karen Lohmann

  “Tell Me Your Story,

and I Will Make You a One-Of-a-Kind Burial Shroud”

Embroidery Textile Art

I make shrouds as a way to have conversations about our mortality, our tenderness in this life, or as a personal expression of a legacy; perhaps as a gift to those who love us, those who will wash and en-shroud our bodies following our deaths. A shroud is a tangible wrap-up of our own choosing.

Being present for death has given me many gifts, challenges and awakenings.

To show up for this life is a great honor. To walk alongside people who are nearing the end of their lives is a humbling honor and a teaching about the multiple ways we experience embodiment, having a spirit, making sense of life and making a transition.

The first shroud I made was for Maria Dancing Heart, author of “The Last Adventure of Life.” I communicated with her spirit following her tragic death in a crosswalk downtown. She has wanted a home funeral vigil; having her body at home for 3 days for loved-ones to experience the normalization death. By the nature of her death, this was not possible. I felt a message from Maria that having a shroud made could be a type of completion, a way to honor her, to soothe her spirit. So, I made her a shroud from a deconstructed kimono and a bedsheet. Making it, I felt peace, excitement, grief, sadness and mystery. So, I continued making shrouds, as you see.

We don’t know when our death will occur, so lets live fully now, creating and reflecting on this life of beauty and mystery. Exploring existence it what gives me pondering and joy!

One of the shrouds I displayed at Arts Walk was one I have made for Toni. 

She wrote this below.

My Shroud

After being birthed, I was swaddled and held.

As I prepare for the death of my body,

I think of being swaddled and held one last time.

Within the soil, the earthly body morphs into dust then stardust.

I am filled with gratitude.

I thank my body, for carrying me all these years.

Growing old in it, experiencing life through my senses, 

watching the transformations of constant change, adorning it, 

and growing new lives within this body has been miraculous.

To honor this transition, I chose

A blanket of wool dyed with plant materials,

reminding me of my love for the bigger world.

A child’s cotton baby blanket from my parents, reminds me of love.

All other things that I will leave behind, will live in loving memories.

And thank you, Karen Lohmann, for putting it all together so beautifully!

 Artist Bio

I am a grandmother, a death-walker/life walker, in the sense that I have chosen, been asked, or have just shown up at opportune times to witness more than 2,000 deaths while working as an inter-faith, inter-spiritual ordained chaplain at Providence St. Peter Hospital and Providence Hospice. (Zen Peacemaker Order, Upaya Zen Center). 

I have been a landscape designer: Seven Oars Park 1 and 2, Ethnobotanical Garden at the Old Washington State Capital Museum, Bigelow Park Stone Amphitheater and residential gardens in Thurston County. 

Apprenticed with Ueoto Landscaping Co. in Kyoto, Japan in 1981. 

I have operated “FlorAbunda Floral Designs”.

Locally I am co-leading: “Blessing Your Journey, Exploring the End of Life” - 4-day workshops with Hilarie Hauptman and Leeann Tourtillott.

Thank you to: Jennie Beth Banks, Rebecca Leach, Michael, Robert Walker, (who helped so much in hanging this show,) James O’Barr, Toni Brown and Meg O’Leary, (who lent their shrouds for this event,) Terry Kelso, Sam and Donna Watson and Junko Sasaki.