A Dictionary of Tenderness

A collection of odd and beautiful words that create a tender poetry

Mixed media accordion book, two-sided, 24 panels
Folded: 7" H x 5.5" W x 1.5" D
Unfolded: 7" H x 38" W 

A few years ago I began to collect strange and beautiful words - words that were both lovely to say (and hear) and had definitions that intrigued or touched me. I was especially attracted to mysterious-sounding words I had not heard before.

The more I hunted, the more I became aware that certain words and definitions evoked tender emotions in me -  melancholy, wistfulness, contentment, yearning. And like tiny poems, these words conjured images and stories that spoke to me. 

What I found so remarkable was that, through the narrow aperture of a simple definition, I could view the many small, seemingly insignificant, human experiences that make up our lives. But from this view it was clear that such experiences are far from insignificant; rather, they are singular and precious.

When I was done with the book, I realized this dictionary had become a meditation on tenderness. It asks: In a world filled with both vast beauty and unlimited tragedy, how deeply can we open our hearts and let ourselves be moved?