Drawing On Grief: Exploring loss through creativity

by Kate Sutton

Drawing On Grief is a uniquely creative journal and mindful keepsake which draws on the soothing therapeutic power of drawing and creativity to help people navigate the pain of bereavement.

In this moving book of self-help through art therapy , author Kate Sutton draws on her own experiences of losing a loved one to help others on this difficult journey , presenting guided creative prompts as well as memories of her own and quotes from others on the painful topic of loss.

By guiding readers through creative exercises from drawing fond memories together to creating an ocean of tears with colouring pencils, this book helps people visualise the pain they are going through , so as to better understand and navigate their grief.

The book also contains written prompts such as writing a letter to yourself and to your loved one, designed to help people express the difficult emotions which bereavement brings.

Part self-help book, part memoir,  Drawing On Grief  emphasizes the importance of self-care in the grieving process , allowing people to explore their own feelings through creative mediums, which can often be easier than trying to express feelings directly.

A modern and insightful approach to the pain of loss ,  Drawing On Grief  is a sensitive and compassionate guide to help people look after themselves as they traverse one of life’s most challenging moments.

This book is part of the  Drawing On...  series, a collection of creative guided journals which help readers explore difficult topics including anxiety and grief. Also available is  Drawing On Anxiety , a beautifully illustrated interactive journal tapping into self-help, self-care, mental health and creative mindfulness.

Genres: Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published April 12, 2022

Reviews

[Eline Pullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A jewel of a book. In this book, Kate Sutton takes you on a raw, honest journey through all the stages of grief when you lost a loved one. Whether it's been a short or long time since you lost someone, Sutton lets you know that on these pages there’s room to feel very very very sad. She highlights the theme of mourning from different angles and shares personal examples of losing her mother. In addition, she encourages you to draw and write about your memories of your loved one yourself. I can only imagine that a beautiful memoriam is created if you gradually follow the exercises.

Big thanks to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy, which I received in exchange for my honest review.

[Mallika Mahidhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having lost two people, who played a very important role in my life, during the pandemic, this book called out to me. The author talks about her personal loss and how she avoided grief and later, used drawing to understand and express her grief better.

Each page has a different drawing prompt for the reader to express. Personally, I did not do all the prompts in the book (which is okay, as the author says so herself) as it was difficult for me to relive certain memories that were too heavy for me to process. However, the prompts are well thought out and of course, help you in processing and expressing the grief in a better way. If you are struggling with processing your grief, or you have already processed it, I would still recommend this book as art helps in healing more than words can sometimes. Tread with caution and remember that this is not something you must complete. If some prompt is difficult for you, you can skip it and maybe come back to it at a later stage.


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing On Grief:
Exploring Loss Through Creativity
by Kate Sutton
Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare, Leaping Hare Press
Available now.

Using art to cope with grief is a powerful way to bypass the mind and access underlying emotions. Kate Sutton's Drawing On Grief provides creative drawing and writing prompts to do just that. She also shares from her own experience of loss and includes illustrations and quotes that touch the heart. Supportive and beautifully validating, Drawing On Grief would be a healing resource for anyone suffering loss. Highly recommended!

Thanks to author Kate Sutton, Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare, Leaping Hare Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#DrawingOnGrief #KateSutton #QuartoPublishingGroupLeapingHarePress #NetGalley #creativegriefguide #drawingtocopewithgrief #bookstagramcommunity

[Caoilo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to both NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group –Leaping Hare for an e-ARC of this book for review.

This is a book that aims to help those who are struggling with grief, by using drawing as a means of expression. The writer Sutton found that it helped after the death of her mother. When Sutton's self-destructive behavior could no longer distract her from her grief she realized she needed a healthy way to deal with said grief. This lead Sutton to create this book.

Sutton uses her own story as a guide to show readers how to use this book. There are tasks to be done and this allows the reader to confront their own grief. The writer takes extra time to include self care in the tasks. The art included shows how small and basic or large and elaborate the reader can be.

Unfortunately for me I did not have the same kind of loving relationship with my mother who, like the authors mother passed from cancer so a lot of the book didn't help my feelings about her passing. But some tasks would lend to facing that, or the passing of other loved ones. Some sadly just do not apply for one reason or another. I would have loved to use it for the grief of my father''s passing but I was too young to remember him which made the memory tasks a little upsetting but Sutton admits that not all the tasks work for everyone.

In the end I found it beautiful and inspiring. I would try the self care tasks if nothing else. However I don't think it would be helpful those who had toxic parents. Never the less I do think there are benefits from trying this book.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing on Grief was a fantastic book! Although the subject matter is a bit heavy, I can honestly say that I think everyone should read it. The book is a creative journal full of prompts that encourage using art to cope with grief. I loved that Kate recommends drawing more rather than writing. Throughout the book, Kate shares her experiences with grieving the loss of her mother. The book also contains an excellent list of resources for readers to look up and use. Those resources are books, websites, podcasts, apps, and social media accounts of other people/groups/communities. I've researched several resources and have already put some of the books on hold at my local library.

*Thank you, Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.*

[Megs_Ginelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drawing on Grief is a beautiful and deeply moving journal for navigating grief. With her own drawings along side prompts to draw ourselves, this book is an invitation to heal in a way you may never have considered- through creativity, drawing, art.

The author says she created this book because it’s the kind of thing she would have liked to have when she lost her mother.

There’s even an index in the back where you can find whatever emotion or issue you’re dealing with in the moment and it will point you to an exercise.
I will treasure this book. I lost my mom 15 years ago. No matter where you are in your grief, this is a beautiful companion.

Thanks to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group-Leaping Hare, and Kate Sutton for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great concept. I appreciate the way Sutton's writing and drawing act as examples of the prompts she gives. Many of the questions she asks are insightful, and I think this would be a helpful book for a grieving person. One idea Sutton comes back to again and again is that ignoring grief doesn't help or make it go away. This book doesn't try to gloss over a loss but puts it repeatedly front and center. This might be hard for those in the very raw and early stages of grief, and perhaps better for those who have already started processing their loss. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This book is a workbook/journal to work through grief in a creative way. The book has various prompts for the reader to write or draw responses. They ask the reader to reflect on their memories, feelings, and the person that they lost. Alongside these prompts, the author shows their responses to the prompts in relation to the loss of their mother.
I liked that the book gives the reader the option of writing or drawing their response, so it is easier for those who don't draw.

[Kelsey Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures the complexity of grief and the way that it touches all aspects of your life extremely well. The author shares her story in a very relatable and empathetic way, while also allowing space for the reader to engage with their own feelings. I really appreciated the visual components of the book and the emphasis on healing being a non-linear process.

[Rebecca Starks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.
This book touches on grief and made me have some deep thoughts about the grief that i have experienced from losing loved ones and as my job as a Nurse when i feel the grief of my patients and their families and also my grief at the loss of them as a patient.
Beautifully written.
Thanks again
5/5 stars

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy, I love this. Right from the first prompt, "write or draw their name in a beautiful way" 🫶 This would make a lovely, thoughtful gift for yourself or a loved one you care about.

*Free e-copy received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Anna Sellheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a woo-woo hippie dippie kind of girl. I thought this book would be saccharine, annoying nonsense because of the generic hipster/ corporate drawings throughout the book. It is actually helping me grieve my mother in a healthy way- 5 stars!

[Alexis Marie Chute · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, thoughtful little book. Part memoir, part guided journal, I think this will be a helpful addition to the creative griever’s bookshelf.

[Daphne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read with beautiful illustrations, meaningful interative instructions and good for a journal book

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was having a difficult time navigating the pain, loss and grief of losing my father earlier in the year when I came across this book & I am still working my way through the activities. It has been really helpful to express, explore and release difficult and complex emotions through drawing. I find the drawing a relaxing activity and it has helped me to find peace during a turbulent time and sleep better, by thinking about grief during focused times during the day, rather than ruminating before sleep. Katie cultivates self compassion and self care through prompts and also thoughtfully shares her unique experience of grief. There are times where the roller coaster ride of grief makes you feel like you are going crazy and reassuring that you are having a normal response to loss. A really helpful resource and guide for people experiencing grief and helped me to hold space and continue a bond and connection with my dad. The drawings helped me to remember the good times and try and integrate grief into my everyday, in a meaningful way. While I may never find meaning in my dads death this book has helped me to find some peace and comfort in the knowledge that my dads legacy of kindness, love and faith will forever guide me.