Grief Cartoons
The cartoons on this page are coordinated by Grief Matters’ Cartoonist-in-Residence, Susan MacLeod. Here is her story and creative process:
I came face-to-face with end-of-life experiences during my mother’s nine years in long term care. To help cope with my mother’s decline, as well as the sights, sounds, and smells in nursing homes, I drew. That came naturally to me. Through drawing, I saw the fullness of life in the presence of death. I became more compassionate and more self-compassionate, less avoidant, and less fearful.
Now, years later, I continue creating visual narratives (or cartoons) with Grief Matters in the hopes they can help ease us into the topics of grief and our own deaths, together with others and within ourselves. I enjoy finding evocative stories from people in any life circumstance that show an understanding and acceptance of life’s end.
I begin by interviewing people, writing a script, doing ‘roughs’ or ‘thumbnails’ of the visual story and honing it with input from the person interviewed and the Grief Matters’ team. It is my hope these visual stories help improve grief literacy in our communities. We are all grievers. To talk with and see one another in our loss is to walk beside one another in companionship and mutual support.
Follow Susan’s work on Instagram and at susanmacleod.ca
Please get in touch if you have ideas for future cartoons, or you are interested in contributing to our cartoon page.
Where ARE all the books about adult sibling grief?
To share grief is to share presence with vulnerability
It’s well known the holiday season can be difficult for grievers. As this cartoon suggests, whether you’re a stranger, family or friend, try reaching out to someone you know is grieving. It’s likely you both know grief and could both use support befriending grief within yourselves. In this way, grievers are not quite so alone.
A Mother, A Son, A Psychiatrist and Grief
In today's hectic medical world, not many physicians have - or make - the time to mourn with grieving patients and families. Here's a different story, full of heart, meaning and revealing many facets of giving care.
Drawings done in the dark during the film, In the Realm of Death & Dreaming
Our Grief Gatherings week was full of people coming together in rich ways to discuss dying, death and grieving. Here are some drawings done live from the film, "In The Realm of Death and Dreaming: Does Consciousness Continue After Death?" produced by Grief Matters partner, When You Die. (whenyoudie.org)
Margaret and Ruby
We've all heard people say of a pet owner's loss, "But it's just a dog!". When Margaret Angus's dog Ruby died, she knew she lost much, much more . . . . Thank you, Margaret, for sharing.
Creating Your Own Visual Obituary
Creating your own visual obituary offers a way to think about your life and death in a calming, reflective way. We are happy to welcome a guest cartoonist, Jill Greenbaum, Ed.D., this month. Jill is a contemplative chaplain/spiritual companion who facilitates workshops where people reflect on their lives, choose what they wish to memorialize, and create visual obituaries.
After Bill Died…
Robbie McGinn’s partner of 32 years recently died after a long illness. In this cartoon, she generously shares the many ways grief is coming to her. She also shares the varied and valued ways the community, Mi'kmaw and non-Indigenous, are supporting her. "Grief is becoming gently embedded into my being," she notes. She also notes she particularly enjoys the chocolate croissants people are bringing over!
Cooking for Dead People
“Cooking for Dead People" is more than an intriguing name for a YouTube channel; it's a deep dive into one slow and meaningful way to experience grief and form a new kind of relationship with a lost loved one. Emma Palumbo, the show’s host, tells us more.
Sharing Grief With Strangers!
When Stephanie Levac's mother invited her to a musical about death in Toronto, "In Dreams", she leapt at the chance. Roy Orbison! Live Theatre! Death! Stephanie is a musician and a trained hospice volunteer; her mother is an oncology pharmacist. As experienced as they are with grief, they were surprised at all that can arise when grief is shared in a public space.
Grief is much more than one person, alone...
Our Grief Matters initiative, in part, aspires to move grief from the personal realm to the community space.
We see our social, public lives and spaces as essential hosts for grievers and for creating a common understanding of grief and its complexities. (This is explained in more detail in this month's blog.)
Introducing Susan MacLeod, Cartoonist-in-Residence at Grief Matters!
Recently, my drawing practice has turned to creating grief and death stories in the hope my cartooning can lessen my real fear of death, grief, and loss as I age. I’ve been drawing people in nursing homes for well over ten years now.
*Photo by CBC