Glass Cremation Art at CANA

Jul 30, 2015 | 0 comments

Americans have been cremating our dead since at least 1913, when CANA, the Cremation Association of North America, started. The organization was formed to promote the “modern way” and the “safe and hygienic way” of dealing with a dead human body.

At that time, and up into the early 1920’s, cremation was the choice of the wealthy and well-educated. All crematories were located on cemetery property and stately columbariums were built to house and display the elaborate urns then being used.

Cremation fell out of favor during the Depression in favor of ground burial. That is, until the 1980s, when cremation usage started to climb into double-digit percentage rates.

Now the U.S. is approaching a 50% national cremation average. And it’s not just the wealthy and educated who are seeking cremation. Many people view cremation as a more affordable body disposition option which opens up many creative avenues for memorial services and treatment of the remains.

Here at the 97th annual CANA convention and expo, this post highlights glass memorial art options on display by vendors in attendance.

Crystal Remembrance Art

Crystal Remembrance Art

Crystal Remembrance

Crystal Remembrance features unique egg-shaped works of art that incorporate cremated remains. Their artists swirl a white spiral of cremated remains alternated with a vibrant color of the family’s choice. The company describes their distinctive design by saying, “Throughout history, the egg has symbolized life. The swirl appears fluid and suggest the double helix of DNA, also a symbol of life.”

See more options and learn more at www.CrystalRemembrance.com.

Glass Remembrance

Glass Remembrance Fountain Art

Glass Remembrance Fountain Art

Glass Remembrance creates both art memorial tributes and wearable glass jewelry that incorporate cremated remains. Their glass jewelry has evocative names like Swirling Glass Memory, Melody, Harmony & Symphony Glass Pearl line, Loving Memory Hearts, and Precious Metal Gold and Sterling Silver Hearts.

They also make Encased Memories, which preserve perishable items that would be destroyed by the high temperatures of molten glass. Items like jewelry, hair, flowers and pet collars can be showcased inside a hollow glass chamber that is sealed closed with glass epoxy.

For more information, visit www.GlassRemembrance.com.

Memory Glass

Memory Glass Orb

Memory Glass Orb

Memory Glass has been producing glass art with cremated remains since 2003. At this expo, in addition to cremated remains keepsakes, they showed glass memorial keepsakes that did not require a cremation to produce meaningful keepsake items.

For those families who have a loved one buried, Memory Glass can make a glass keepsake with a small sample of soil or sand. It could come from a burial plot, a family farm, a wedding site or any special location that’s dear to the family.

They can also make laser engraved thumb print pieces as a jewelry pendant or a Memory Glass Touchstone disc. The Touchstone can be put into a display frame or carried in one’s pocket or purse.

Learn more at www.MemoryGlass.com.

A Good Goodbye