David Murray, Tommie Guy, Caroline Guy, Samuel Guy

 

This piece is a tribute to family—those we hold close and those we have lost. Red squiggly lines weave through the panels, visually connecting them as our lives connect through love, history, and memory.

At the heart is a photograph of my parents on their wedding day, my mother already pregnant with my sister, stepping into her lifelong role as a matriarch. To the right, a large photo of her as she is now shows her reading handwritten recipes, a collection that has nourished generations. Behind her, a fridge covered in photos of every grandchild and great-grandchild reflects the family she built. This image best represents her—caregiver, unifier, the heart of our family.
​Surrounding these are transferred images of family members, some still with us, others remembered with their names and dates.

​Each of us—David Murray (husband), Tommie Guy (mother), Caroline Guy (daughter), and Samuel Guy (son)—carved stamps reflecting personal and regional significance. My husband carved a raven, a sharp and intelligent Nevada bird. I carved an anatomical heart, representing both my son’s heart, which took him from us at six months, and my ex-husband’s heart, which took him too soon. Caroline carved a bighorn sheep, an animal her father was very interested in. Sam carved an eye, which we stamped three times at the top of our piece, echoing the watchful eye.

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As our hexagons join others across Nevada, this piece becomes part of a larger tapestry.

-Tommie Guy