Has anyone told the bees?

Telling the bees was a common practice in the ninetieth century, as evidenced by John Greenleaf Whittier’s 1858 poem 'Telling the Bees'. It is said that “telling the bees” has its origins in Celtic mythology. Seeing a bee after a death was a sign of the soul leaving the body.

​

These wax and mixed media bowls take this story as a starting point. Exploring the idea of seeking answers to unanswerable questions. The uncertainty of life after death being something we as the living can't know. Narratives such as telling the bees help us deal with uncertainty. 

​

The choice of materials in the pieces speak to ideas around knowledge, value and tradition.