On a Personal Note: Life, Family & the Work We Love

This year has brought its share of unexpected turns. Most recently, we experienced a significant family health emergency when Jamaica’s dad suffered a serious heart scare that led to triple bypass surgery. For the past several years, her parents have kept their travel trailer on our property for extended visits with our family in the country. They happened to be with us during this episode, so his cardiac care is now local to our home. Thankfully, he’s recovering here with us, and we’re grateful every day for his strength and continued healing.

We’re still a little emotionally raw, experiencing this just four months after losing Rob’s sister, Jamie, to a fatal heart attack in our home. It’s been a lot to process, but it deepens our gratitude for health, family, and the time we have together.

For more than a dozen years, Rob worked in the medical field, and now our way of life here allows us to care for our elders when needed. It’s one of the reasons we’re so drawn to this work—creating memorials with intention, love, and humanity. We’re honored to do what we do, and that includes showing up for family when it matters most.

That said, these recent weeks have naturally delayed our usual production pace. We appreciate the grace and patience of those waiting for their memorials. Please know that we’re back in the studio now, doing the careful, heartfelt work we’ve always promised—with the same dedication that’s guided us from the beginning.

From our family to yours, thank you for trusting us in such meaningful moments. It’s never taken lightly.

With appreciation,

Jamaica & Rob

Death Do We Art Giveaway - After-Life Artists' Offerings

 

We are excited to announce this special giveaway from a collective of four After-Life Artists. We have joined together in this special offering of our unique and treasured memorial art. We work with our hands and from our hearts, to honor lives and bring comfort to the bereaved.

Featured Artists include:
- Camille Borgas of Cami Bear  (Drawing for winner 10/12)
- Chris Santora of Sands of Time  (Drawing for winner 10/19)
- Rob & Jamaica of YURNS by MorzArt  (Drawing for winner 10/26)
- Ashley Lozano of Ashley Lozano Jewelry  (Drawing 11/2)

Submit your entry for a chance to win one of four prizes. Each Friday from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2, one winner will be selected, at random, to win the prize for that week. Prizes totaling over $1,000.00 in value!

>> ENTER TO WIN – CLICK LINK >> https://upvir.al/58822/DeathDoWeArt

YURNS Turns One, First Year in Review

One year ago today, we launched our new line of sculptural works, YURNS by MorzArt!
This endeavor to create unique cremation urns has been a blessing for our art and hearts. We are so grateful our path has led us to this work, and are humbled to create our special memorials for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
We are encouraged by positive feedback and are happy to report that we have sold 26 YURNS, in 9 states and 3 countries. It is an exciting future as we progress forward, and over the course of this next year, we hope to devote more time into growing our business and introducing new models into our production line.
Many thanks to each of you for your support!

On a Roll...Shipping Guitar Urn Orders

We've been blessed with Guitar YURN sales...Today we're mailing out 3 with a 4th in the works!  Thanks to the sweet ladies at Bastrop Mail & Signs who take special care to make sure they are packed securely, so that the urns make it safely to waiting families.

New Sand Dollar Model In the Works

Model for our newest commission...a SandDollar YURN

A photo posted by YURNSbyMorzArt (@morzart) on Jul 26, 2015 at 1:52pm PDT

YURN'ing for a New Workshop

 

We are excited to have a new work space to build our YURNS! After working around some great spring rain, we completed the shell and electrical, and moved our YURNS supplies inside today!

We lost our prior shop in the Bastrop wildfire a few years ago, and for us, this new creative space has been a long time coming.

In order to move forward with our art endeavors, we were in major need of replacing our workshop, and moving our supplies/equipment out of our living room.  We decided to reuse the existing concrete slab where our old shop stood.

This is a exciting step towards progress with the business, and healing for our creative souls to have a new space to work!

Our First Print Ad

We did our first print ad in a local Bastrop County publication for visitors and residents. Included with our ad was a very nice write-up about YURNS. Additionally, Jamaica was a Contributing Graphic Designer, creating a portion of the ads in the magazine. "The Guide to Bastrop County 2015-16":

She Was Pure Sunshine

Doris June Forsythe

January 4, 1931 - April 2, 2015

Over the last month, we had the profound experience of caring for Jamaica's grandmother, Doris June, as she made her transition from this Earth. Cancer went mis/undiagnosed and by the time she received an official diagnosis, it had spread into her lymphatic system and spine...hospice arrived that same day.
For 22 days we were able to care for her and tell her how much we love her- although short, we appreciate that time and opportunity. She was pure sunshine and joy to all who knew her and she will be deeply missed. 
Many thanks to our buddy, Stephen, at Star of Texas Casket Company for collaborating with us on her sentimental and personalized Cedar casket. It was beautiful and we know she would have loved the special touches carved into it for her. Rest in peace, sweet Doie, your legacy of love, faith and laughter lives on in your children, grand and great.

Online Resellers Feature Our Urns

Novelty Urns: Behind the Scenes

The creative process for the artisans behind these unique urns comes from a place of authenticity and relating to everyday people. They look for the simple things that bring joy. The urns are subjects that represent people's passions and interests, reflecting their individuality and honor a life well-lived.

Each of these urns is a work of art produced solely by the team of two artisans. Their hands-on approach produces artisan quality sculptures that will vary slightly from piece to piece. No two will ever be exactly alike creating an heirloom-quality, unique work of art.

With a subject in mind, the artisans strive to create an iconic sculpture by modeling a clay representation. When they are satisfied with their model, they create a plaster mold of it. With a mold they employ a traditional slip-cast method to produce a hollow-bodied clay vessel.

Once the slip sets up in the mold and the clay piece is removed, the unfired clay or “greenware” is shaped, added to and refined as needed. At this stage, the artisans place high-temperature wire hangers into the clay body for wall-mounted pieces and hand cut the vessel’s opening for the inurnment hatch.

Once the greenware sculpting is complete, the piece air dries and is fired in a kiln to temperatures nearing 2000°F. The application of extreme heat to the clay body causes a chemical and physical reaction creating a permanently hardened material. The urns are hand-painted either before or after the kiln fire. A variety glazes or oxide washes are used in combination with acrylic paints, metallic waxes and a sealer to create the finishes of each product. Each urns takes about five to seven days from cast to finish.

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Our Virtual Doors are Now Open on Etsy.com

We're all set up and ready to go!  Our YURNS can now be found and purchased through our Etsy Shop:  

www.etsy.com/shop/MorzArt

And Now We Smile for a Bio Pic

 
YURNS by MorzArt | 

A gracious 'Thank you' to you for following us and offering comments in support. We launched just over 2 weeks ago and are already off to a great start!  We are refining our marketing/branding materials as we prepare to list with online urn distributors....their feedback on YURNS is very positive and encouraging!

Here's a Sneek Peek

We have been doing, and figuring, and sculpting, and molding, and building, and cleaning, and painting, and photographing, and naming, and designing, and branding, all while trying to keep our cool...soooo, prepare yourself for a bombardment of MorzArt shameless self-promotion with the launch of our newest artistic endeavor...soon, very soon...we know you wait with bated breath.