When a pet passes, it can be difficult to decide what to do with the cremated remains. For Michigan artist Gretchen Kiefer, she sees an opportunity for art – she turns ashes and pet photos into textured plaster portraits. "It gives the grieving pet owner a discreet, dignified way of memorializing," Kiefer tells PEOPLE Pets. "Whereas most fine art discourages touch, my artwork encourages the opportunity to 'touch' your departed friend, keeping the joyful memories alive."
Kiefer – whose work has been displayed in Detroit area galleries – started her business five years ago, drawing inspiration from her mother, who taught blind children to "see" art with their hands. "The embedment idea came from talking with pet owners who wanted a portrait done for their deceased pet," she says. "The process allows the cremains to be part of the finished piece."
Using a personal photograph, Kiefer creates an eight-layer plaster portrait, embedding up to 4 ounces of ash cremains into the work. "It ultimately allows the final resting place to be as unique as the love that was shared." (For pet owners whose furry friends are still alive, Kiefer also makes portraits without cremains.)
Prices range from $325 to $535, and turnaround time is about two to four weeks. "My hope," says Kiefer, "is one's hand is drawn to the art before the eye and after the heart."
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