We searched for a long time to find an artist who could take our thoughts about a marker for our daughter and transform them into a bronze piece that had color, was personalized and would fit in the park-like city cemetery where she rests. Sigrid accomplished all of that, was very patient with us and helpful, and we couldn’t be happier. She produced a beautiful marker that will stand the test of time.
Tim Hoover, Buffalo, NY
Sigrid Herr provided the most exceptionally beautiful bronze marker for my beloved daughter’s grave at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, California.
Working with Sigrid has been a real pleasure. Not only does Sigrid provide her outstanding artistic expertise she is also a true professional. She made my experience effortless under very sad circumstances.
If you need her services - she is the best!
Donna - Sierra Vista, AZ
The most wonderful thing about a memorial marker by Sigrid was that we were able to choose words and a design that really expressed my family's feelings about my mother. Now our family has a marker that will last for hundreds of years that pleases us greatly whenever we visit the grave. It was well worth the money to have something so beautiful and lasting to celebrate my mother’s life.
Steve - Oakland, CA
I don't think anyone but you could have realized what Pam and I were hoping for.
Elaine and Pam - Berkeley, CA
When I set out upon my journey with my siblings to create a grave marker for our Mom, I knew it had to be nothing short of extraordinary. I did an exhaustive search of every possibility and all roads kept leading me back to Sigrid Herr and the Art of Remembering. It has been a journey well taken. Sigrid skillfully, compassionately and creatively included me every step of the way through the entire process from initial concept drawings to the cemetery installation of the finished sculpture...a masterpiece that fully displays Sigrid's talent and her ability to capture the essence of our Mom and transform it into an everlasting bronze tribute. The collaboration with Sigrid on this project has been one of great joy and healing. Thank you Sigrid for helping us to commemorate in bronze our great love for Mom. We are forever grateful.
Michael - Boca Raton, FL
As an operator of a granite fabricating plant, I am quite partial to granite products that we put out.
The contemporary bronze work that I’ve seen for the past 30 years, particularly when it comes to memorialization, seems very basic and almost “cookie cutter” appearance. The bronze I have seen you fabricate is truly exquisite; you can tell that not only is it hand crafted, but you have a passion for your work and end product.
I would be pleased to work with you and have my granite complement your bronze (or visa versa) at anytime.
Mark Fontana - Colma, CA
It has been a pleasure to work with you, Sigrid. Thank you for bearing with me through what has turned out to be both the best/worst year of mine and my wife's adult life. You graciously took my art direction (which I really appreciate -- I am a professional artist myself) and gracefully integrated it into our son's marker. Thank you again, c p.s. I went to two different masons to find someone who could mount it correctly, and everyone I have shown the piece to has stopped and said, "Wow, that is beautiful. Who made it?"
Finding ourselves in need of a marker for our mother, we were somewhat distressed to find that our choices were 'basic/standard' in nature. Having reviewed existing markers at Oakmont Cemetery that grace the graves of our relatives long buried, it seemed like the quality did not "stand up to time", nor did most of them seem personal or unique. We wanted something more "quality" and special for our mother. We found Art of Remembering online. What we couldn't have imagined was the absolutely wonderful and personal experience we shared with Sigrid Herr, as we worked on a design befitting our mother, even so far as being able to put our own personal statement about her on the marker. Sigrid's work is excellent, beautiful and artistic, and she takes such care to make sure that you have the marker that you envision for your loved one. She works with fantastic bronze artisans, as well. Sigrid is a delightful, loving, caring person, who has it in her soul to help people find the right expression of love for the person interred. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. The resulting marker was truly remarkable and a beautiful testament to our mother.
John and Jenny Kallio, Lafayette, California
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Wrap-around Fern border. I removed the name for privacy.
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Almost the last thing my beloved Memorie said to me was: "I don't want to be forgotten". Not anything easy like, "don't forget me" or "remember me" but a request that I can never really fulfill but conversely also gives my life meaning. My fervent desire to be true to her wish has led me in several directions. A femini
st music festival which became a house party; the post card project, and a "Wild Herb Weekend" scholarship have all been gestures towards the (perhaps) impossible. But also I could not ignore the marker tradition. However a stone in the ground by itself is the loneliest thing imaginable. And Mem would certainly not have wanted a place in a Christian cemetery unless perhaps it was beside her father, with whom she was very close, but her family's attitude made this impossible. Then I thought of bronze. There is a foundry in NC but I saw immediately that all their products are computer generated.
Mem was an arts patron who purchased or commissioned a number of works most of which were pottery or plates. Somehow her favorite dolphin plate was lost during the hospital stay. I could not duplicate it but it inspired a design for a bas relief bronze marker. When I visited the Bay Area I located the Mussi Artworks Foundry and took a trip to Berkeley where I met Tom Schrey. He understood my request immediately and referred me to Sigrid Herr. Upon meeting Sigrid I saw immediately that she is the kind of person who Mem would have bonded with. And when I saw pictures of her work my intuition was confirmed.
Over the following year we collaborated on a design featuring Mem's totem animals and her Goddess Nomen. Sigrid then rendered the marker beautifully with grapes and passionflowers. Her vision of the owl was much better than I imagined. Sigrid even consulted with a Berkeley scholar to make sure I had the Nomen right, which was way beyond her remit. Throughout I found Sigrid sensitive and helpful and the resulting art work, for an artwork it is, to be exactly as I envisioned except better. She listened carefully to my suggestions (i.e. the dolphin's smile) and obviously spent a lot of time thinking about the design. I can say without fear of contradiction that Sigrid Herr has created an original work of art unlike anything else on the planet and worthy of my beautiful wife.
To contact us, please phone 510.708.9635 or email sigrid@artofremembering.com