TL:DR My dad passed away so I made something in his memory
Growing up my Dad often played Neil Diamond records (vinyl!) in our house. My Dad was a big fan, so of course Mum, my brother and I all came to know Neil Diamond music well too.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull was a particularly favourite soundtrack of Dad's. I’ve read the book by Richard Bach a few times – and I keep meaning to watch the movie but still haven’t.
My Dad passed away in 2023 from aggressive Bowel cancer. Like many older men, he ignored his symptoms for a long time and by the time he could no longer ignore it, it was too late. He died six weeks after diagnosis. He refused to go into hospice so we looked after him at home, with Mum doing the majority of the caring. It was tough.
After he passed, my mum and brother went through a few health challenges too, so finding time to grieve was difficult. In May 2024 I realised I needed some help to grieve so I saw a grief counsellor through Nurse Maude. It was so helpful. One of the things she offered as a potential help was to make something in silver in memory of Dad.
Between our first and second session I racked my brain for something to make. Dad was a real rugby, racing and beer kind of kiwi bloke but none of those things resonated with me to remember him by. In our second counselling session I was talking about a memory I had of Dad that featured his love of Neil Diamond and the creative lightning hit: Jonathon Livingston Seagull!
I went home and dug out the book. The story ultimately explores themes of freedom, self-realization, and the pursuit of your passion, encouraging us to embrace our uniqueness and transcend limitations.
It took me about 3 months to develop Skybird, one that I looked at and thought “that’s finished.” There are a few early iterations around the studio – the first prototype I was polishing went flying across the studio – I still can’t find it!
Inspired by the book’s cover, the Skybird you see today is a reflection of those happy times and Dad's love for the story and the music. To me, Skybird represents the beauty of freedom and the journey of finding your own path. I can’t help thinking that Dad would love that.