Inherent:
The Reclamation
A Narrative Journey Through Infant Loss, Grief and Healing by Marci Cable
In loving memory of Trisston Lee Oaks (Mar 11–May 7, 2008)
Dedicated to Trisston and every family walking the path of infant loss. May these canvases serve to break the silence around Sudden Infant Death Syndrome - Inspiring community compassion, advancing prevention research and providing a safe harbor of care for those who grieve.
Tracing the reclamation of trauma through mythological female trios, this work moves from loss to wholeness. These figures honor a collective female presence, reminding us that even in our loneliest moments, we are never truly alone.
I have known the pain of a thread cut too early, the heavy suffocating blame and the weight of a vision stolen by trauma. But I am staring back. I reclaim my gaze. I am still here—monstrously unapologetic and standing tall.
My survival arc:
From the hollow ache of The Loss to the suffocating Wrath that followed. Through the numb Static, where every movement took too much energy. Then, into the iron Resolve of existing—because surviving and faith is what forged me as I am.
In Serenity, I have returned to Christ.
I am finally whole.
I have survived. I am here.
“The Loss” (The Fates or Moirai)
Oil on Canvas, 24" x 20"
“I have known the pain of a thread cut too early...”
In Greek mythology, the Moirai, or Fates—Clotho, who spins the thread of life; Lachesis, who measures it; and Atropos, who cuts it—govern the course of every mortal life. In a haze of soft pastels and ethereal light, they appear here not as distant deities, but as mourners of the very lives they oversee. As the golden thread is severed, the myth becomes personal, capturing the heavy silence and hollow ache that follow a sudden departure.
Dedicated to S.I.D.S. awareness, this piece honors the fragile beauty of lives gone too soon. The thread trailing from the canvas serves as a bridge between worlds—a reminder that though a life may be cut short, the bond with those left behind remains forever unbroken.
Oil on Canvas, 12" x 24"
“… the heavy suffocating blame”
In Greek mythology, the Furies are deities of vengeance. Here, Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone emerge in jagged motion and shadow, embodying blame, anger, and self-accusation after loss. While yellow and red pulse with outward blame, the central blue figure captures the cold descent into self-blame.
This piece explores the transition from the silence of grief to the noise of survival, complicated by the volatile crisis of a fracturing faith. The thread of life, which began as a steady line in the companion piece, The Loss, is now bound around the blue figure of self-blame—a chilling portrait of how we become trapped by our own 'what ifs.'
“The Wrath” (Furies or Erinyes)
“The Static”
(The Grey Sisters or Graeae)
Oil on Canvas, 14" x 12"
“….the weight of a vision stolen by trauma.”
The Static captures a desolate plateau where the noise of grief is replaced by a heavy, pervasive hum. Drawing from the myth of the Graeae, the piece explores the sensory deprivation of trauma.
The figure exists in a fragmented "grey space," mirroring the "drugged" feeling of emotional untethering where time stands still, and the world feels distant. The canvas also continues the visual line from the previous two paintings, expressed through a plume of smoke on the right side of the canvas. It portrays the stationary silence of the apathetic—present in body but lost in the haze of a life temporarily interrupted.
” The Resolve” (Gorgons or Medusa)
Mixed Media on Canvas 30" x 24"
“…. But I am staring back.”
Medusa is often remembered as a monster, yet many interpretations reveal a survivor—punished and ostracized by the gods after surviving sexual assault. "The Resolve" draws a parallel between this ancient injustice and my own experience of being unfairly stigmatized.
The composition utilizes a vibrant, high-contrast palette to distinguish the three figures, whose intertwined hands and serpentine forms create a closed loop of solidarity. Their near-nudity represents an act of total transparency-being stripped of defenses. Textured scales and feathered wings emphasize the duality of the Gorgon as both earth-bound and celestial, while the continuous thread at the base grounds the ethereal scene in a physical, unbroken reality. This work is a testament to the strength required to stand firm when others choose to see a threat where there is only a protector.
“I am still here—monstrously unapologetic and standing tall.”
“The Serenity” (The Graces or Charities)
Mixed media on canvas 20x16
Winner of First Place in Mixed Media at the 2026 Magnolia Arts Annual Art Show.
The Serenity reimagines the ancient Charites—Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia—not as passive subjects, but as a unified front of spiritual reclamation. By turning their backs to the viewer, the figures look inward and upward, prioritizing a deeply personal journey of finding my way back to God. This work explores the "Inherent" peace found in divine reconciliation, where grace and joy serve as a powerful sanctuary against a chaotic world.
The piece bridges the gap between ethereal abstraction and tactile reality. Fluid, atmospheric drips in the background are anchored by a bold, painterly application of oils and layered glazes that create a soft bright atmosphere. At the base, heavy textures form a sculpted garden, while a single continuous thread weaves through the composition— no longer a constraint, but a sacred lifeline representing an unbreakable connection to the Creator and the enduring nature of peace.
The Heart of This Collection
This collection is deeply personal, born from my own journey through profound loss and healing. As a former nurse, I now channel that same caregiving heart into my art.
Because these canvases hold so much of my own story and healing, this collection is not for sale. It is vital to me that these pieces stay together as a complete body of work so they can serve a much greater, unified purpose.
The Path Ahead: A Traveling Exhibition
I am planning a regional traveling art exhibition to bring these pieces into community spaces, creating a quiet sanctuary for others navigating grief.
The ultimate, philanthropic purpose of this project is to merge my medical background and personal experience to raise awareness, share knowledge, and fund critical resources for:
Safe-Sleep Education: Sharing proactive, life-saving awareness and resources with parents and caregivers to help prevent sleep-related tragedies.
SIDS Research: Supporting the vital scientific efforts to understand and ultimately eliminate sudden infant loss.
Grief Counseling: Helping provide accessible, compassionate mental health resources for families trying to find their footing after devastating loss.
Financial Relief: Alleviating the sudden, overwhelming financial burdens that families face immediately following a heartbreaking tragedy.
Building the Journey
As these plans are in their infancy, I am intentionally seeking partnerships with community venues, public health advocates, and grief support organizations who understand the power of healing and prevention.
If you manage a community space, work in healthcare or grief advocacy, or feel a connection to this mission, please reach out. I would love to connect with you.
Artist Note:
I’m sharing this journal so you can reclaim your own story. Feel free to add your story—you can sign it or keep it anonymous. We all go through tough times and must find our way to heal. Please share whatever you feel comfortable with. It’s incredibly hard sharing your pain with the world, but remember, you’re not alone.
“The Reflection
I look at the glass and see who I was,
Before the why and before the because.
Her eyes are steady, her spirit is wide,
With nothing to fear and nothing to hide.
I smile for the woman I’ve had to become,
But I carry the girl who I started from.
She is the light that the years couldn’t dim,
The quietest song and the holiest hymn.
The mirror may show where the shadows have been,
But it’s her—not the grief—that I keep within”
