What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a heart? Valentine Day? A Broken heart? A heart attack? Love?
The Ancient Egyptians created beautiful heart amulets in glass, agate, carnelian, jasper. They believed the heart was the source of intelligence, feelings and actions. Heart amulets were believed to protect the wearer’s heart from both physical and spiritual harm both in life and after death.
If you created a heart talisman, what would it protect your heart from? Would you give it away, or do you need it?
Based at Gallery Oldham, TO THE SUN, MOON AND STARS, is a project with people in Recovery, ‘RECOVERISTISTS.’ During our time together, we are taking inspiration from historic Amulets and Talisman from around the world.
I asked the group if they could describe the physical impact alcohol and drugs can have on the heart:
‘Class A drugs, you’re heart is beating really fast, or irregular heartbeats, or respiratory depression, when it slows right down- dead or alive.’
‘Alcohol can give that really warm feeling, you can drink to forget. It can make your heart beat a bit faster.’
‘There is a time when you enjoy it, but a time when you hit rock bottom as well.’
‘My heart was inspired by the Ancient Greeks, they used to weigh the heart- a heart as light as a feather.’ Tabatha
Whilst holding Tabatha’s heart in her hand, Kaye noted: ‘It feels like something you want to protect.’
‘Hearts are precious, you want a healthy heart, fully functional, beating regularly, it connects to the brain. I also think about Domestic Violence as well, remember the heart trapped in barbed wire?’
‘When you are in the early stages of Recovery, you feel very broken, you want to be fixed. You are very vulnerable. Feelings of love- Love addiction, have you heard of it?’
‘My piece, a heart is wrapped like a gift. It’s a hard thing to connect with your heart, but once you have, you’re grateful. My heart is wrapped as a present, it comes from the heart.’ Kaye.
It’s one of the first sounds we hear, our mothers heart beat in the womb. The security of putting your head on your mothers chest and hearing that regular beat. We try and protect it as much as we can. I’ve made my heart with an opening at the top, so you can add a message: a love note? a message of hope? a memory?
‘I do like sewing, and I like pincushions! It represents Feelings of Love.’
Thanks to everyone who came along to the workshops so far. Take a look at Portraits of Recovery website, to find booking details for the last in this series of free workshops.
Lois Blackburn 