Losing a pet can be devastating.
In fact, doctors and psychologists are raising awareness about the effects of losing a pet on people’s health and well-being, especially when they are faced with friends and family who coldly dismiss their very real grief.
The loss of a companion can lead to anxiety, depression, a tendency to close yourself off from others, and even result in heart and blood pressure issues.
Everyone’s grieving process is different. Some take solace in remembrance tokens – solid objects – that allow them to hold their departed loved one close in a tangible way.
This can be a photo, an item once owned by your loved one, or simply something engraved with their name – anything that allows you to acknowledge them and the role they played in your life.
Over the last decade, we’ve seen more and more companies turning the cremated ashes of both humans and animals into remembrance tokens for their loved ones, from gemstones to vinyl.
Now, a company has come up with a way to turn ashes into beautiful ornaments.
Davenport Memorial Glass specializes in infusing small quantities of remains into a variety of glass shapes.
As you might expect, one of their most popular is a paw print, designed specifically for those who have lost a four-legged friend.
Cameron Davenport is the man behind the business. He’s been perfecting his glass blowing skills since 2003 after taking an art class. But he didn’t always involve ashes in his artwork.
Davenport told Bored Panda that he got the idea one day after seeing a friend’s ashes stored at home, simply sitting on a shelf.
“About 10 years ago I lost a good friend. I was given a small spoonful of his ashes that I had just set on my bookshelf for a number of years.”
“One day it came to me, and I decided to make him into a marble. There were quite a few friends that thought this was a neat idea and asked me to make them some memorial glass as well. It sort of just snowballed after that.”
Glasswork requires quite a lot of skill, especially when adding other materials into the mix. In fact, adding ashes to glass is uncommon and Davenport’s technique is still a secret, for now:
“The ashes put a lot of stress into the glass while working with it, making it very difficult to work with,” he explained. “I’ve had many glass artists contact me and ask how I do it. I’d be up for teaching a class one day.”
As you might imagine, Davenport took on quite an emotional load when he decided to start working with those who were grieving.
His e-mail and social media messages are full of stories about people’s worst moments and requests for his special skill set to help them cope with their losses.
He told Bored Panda that he often needs to take a break from reading e-mails when it gets to be too much.
Despite the sadness, he’s happy to help play a role in his customers’ recovery.
“They love the work I do for them and the meaning behind it. As each day goes on, I become more and more grateful for the people in my life and the time I get to spend with them. Doing this type of work really highlights the love in my life. I look forward to many more years of spreading joy and comfort through memorial glass.”
If you’re interested in a memorial paw, prices for cats start at $99 and dog paws range from $99-$158, depending on size.
He can make just about any color (except for teal, according to his website) and customers need only send a “spoonful” of ashes to his northern Idaho studio once their requests are accepted.
Those who want something more “monumental” can even use their glass paws as the centerpieces for bigger memorials.
It’s a small business, so you’ll have to be patient and understand that other grieving loved ones are just as eager to get their ornaments as you are, but you can contact Davenport and learn more by visiting his website here.
You can use the contact form to get in touch with him directly or fill out an order form directly on his website.
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