Worry Stones, Oreen Cohen and Daeora ESH Cohen
Air Dry Clay, my Breastmilk encased in glass and wooden frame, 2021

Slabs of air dry clay hardened and then softened by my body. I massaged, scraped, scratched and rubbed crevices into the stone- releasing my worries through pregnancy and after. When I was in labor, I squeezed a “squishy” you my niece gave me- this expression of fear and pain allowed my body to cope with pain. 

For this artwork, I collaborated with my three month older daughter, Daeora to create her own set of worry stones. They say you can tell what your baby needs through their hands- clenched means they are hungry - relaxed means they are full. She has always clenched my fingers since she was born- for safety and comfort. Through this exploration, we have both learning about our bodies-  these small keepsakes become a relic of our bodies efforts.