Cremations and Ashes: Urns or Art?

We all know what cremation is. No doubt you've heard the gruesome stories about people attempting to scatter the ashes of a departed loved one, only to have said ashes blow back into their face or stick to propellers and ships. But that's so 20th century.

Now, you can have the ashes of the dearly departed made into art! Paintings, glass ornaments, jewelry--don't just mourn them, bling them!

Many entrepreneurial companies have arisen to fulfill our ever-expanding need to express our grief . Creative Cremains of San Francisco is one. They employ a "network of artists" to design artistic and unique housing for ashes. In addition, they will modify a favorite object--a fishing rod, book, or violin, for example--so that it can safely hold the remains of the former user.

The owner of Creative Cremains, Rena Fregosi, converted a collection of wood and ceramic frogs into mini-urns to house the ashes of her own mother (the first picture at right). That started the company in 1999. Other custom designed urns are displayed at right, including one designed for baseball fan Lily Moy. Even the ruby slippers are an urn (maybe they're two urns; I'm not sosure about that.)

Art from Ashes is another company designing unique objets d'art to hold remains--in this case, Art from Ashes focuses on small articles that can hold the ashes of pets. (A Newsweek article of November 2007 indicates that they design for human remains as well.)

Art from Ashes was started by three pet-loving New Englanders, and works with glass blowers and jewelry designers in Massachusetts. Their artwork incorporates a small amount--about a teaspoon--of ash. That can be put into perfume bottles, paperweights, globes, or knobs on walking sticks. The company even designed a purple glass dinosaur, imitating the late doggie's favorite chew-toy.

The heart-shaped bauble at right costs only $145; the globe is $225.

Life Gems of Illinois actually utilize carbon remains of people to create diamonds .The carbon comes from a lock of hair, which is heated and transformed to graphite, and then to a diamond. It's cut and graded.

Most of Life Gems' diamonds start at $3500, but the yellow diamond is a bit cheaper at $2700. That's unset, btw.

Prestige Memorials specializes in cremation jewelry. Warning: turn down your speaker; a nice lady starts talking as soon as you bring up the website.

Crosses, hearts, lockets, flowers, butterflies, tie tacs, even a rosary, can be ordered on the website. Most come with funnels so that you can put a small bit of ash in the jewelry and seal it. The 14k silver piece at right, etched with a portrait, costs $200.

Glass pendants are made with a bit of ash, much like the Art from Ashes site above, and cost around $100. They also have paperweights and other glass sculpture, flag holders, and--starting at $1250--original artwork from artist Mona, who will work a small bit of the loved one's ash into her painting.

Maybe you don't want to wear or frame your dearly departed. Maybe you just want to do something special with the ashes, and move on.

Eternal Reefs may be the answer. A small Florida company has been making patented, molded Reef Balls since 1990, sinking them offshore worldwide to help build up the deteriorating coral reefs and create new marine environments. A few years ago, a relative asked that his ashes be mixed into the concrete in these Reef Balls, and Eternal Reefs was born.

Prices start at $2500, and the website has all sorts of videos and information. Doesn't that sound better than having your ashes tossed into the breeze?