Student Name:	Sidh J
Grade:	11
Title:	In Memory Of ...
Description:	I created In Memory of … because I have always carried a quiet kind of grief for someone I never got to meet, my grandmother, who died of breast cancer before I was born. In my family, she has always been this missing piece, talked about with so much love that I sometimes felt like I should remember her, even though I couldn’t. Growing up, I listened to my mom’s stories about her strength and kindness, and I often wished I had one memory of my own, just a moment I could hold on to. I didn’t fully understand what it meant until I started volunteering at the 3-Day, 60-mile Komen events. That was where I met a survivor who spoke about her experience with a kind of honesty I had never heard before. She shared her fear, exhaustion, and hope in such a real and unfiltered way that my grandma’s story suddenly felt closer, almost like I could finally imagine what she might have faced. We only knew each other for those event days, but she stayed with me. When I returned the next year, I found myself searching for my friend in the crowd without realizing it. Learning that she had passed away hit me harder than I expected. I didn’t know her long, but I missed her, and that feeling helped me understand my mom’s grief in a new way. It made my grandma’s strength and courage feel more real to me, almost like I was finally beginning to understand the depth behind the stories my family had shared with me all my life. Those feelings shaped this piece. The vessel’s form represents the human body, capable of so much strength yet still vulnerable. The pink ribbon helps me feel connected to both my grandma and my friend in a way I hadn’t before. The flowers symbolize growth and renewal and the raised arms forming a heart show how love continues even when someone is no longer here to give it. Creating this piece was emotional, but it helped me face feelings I had been holding quietly. It made me feel a little closer to my grandma and gave me a way to honor my friend.
Dimensions:	(L)5 x (W)6 x (H)8 (Inches)
Weight:	3 Lbs.
School:	CIY Pottery - Ashburn, VA
Teacher:	Susan Ritchey
Exhibition:	The 29th Annual National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition

Clay Vendor:	Standard
Wheel Vendor:	Bailey
Tool Vendor:	Bailey Ceramic Supply
Glaze Vendor:	Other, Speedball Glazes
Kiln Vendor:	Skutt
Firing Temp:	Low Fire
Atmosphere:	Oxidation
Cone Number: