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Meet Stewie Blount. He became a part of our family in 2010. I had not long moved out from my parents house and after being surrounded by dogs for all of my life up until this point, I now craved a canine companion. So, in true Sophie style, I headed out to Evesham Dog's Trust in search of a new furry addition for our family.
If you've ever visited a dog's home, you will understand how emotional a visit can be - so many doggies just hoping for their forever home and so many rejected because of their lack of social skills and ability to mix with other pets. As I paced the endless kennels of homeless dogs, all but one pounced up to the gate of their enclosure. That exception being Stewie.
Fast forward 11 years and Stewie was an established member of the family. Following a complicated career path, my parents had taken Stewie in as their own. With them he had his 'Stewie Kingdom' where he loved to patrol the garden and fight off any ambitious pigeon. But in the midst of what was a life changing year, Stewie suddenly showed his age and began to decline in health and in November 2020 we had to make the most dreaded journey to the vets.
After growing up with dogs since an early age, I had experienced the loss of a family dog on several occasions but this time felt a hundred times worse. Stewie had been a rock to me when I'd lost people, he'd comforted me during my most anxious times and he had given me the strength to pursue my own dreams. He even used to spoon me like a gentleman in bed!
For most families losing a dog feels like you are losing a member of the family but I have often felt guilt for grieving so much for a dog when so many families have had to face and accept human loss this year in particular. Upon reflection of these feelings and after speaking with close friends, I have come to realise that whether human, dog or any other animal, if that person or animal has connected with you on an emotional level in some way, the grieving process can be just as painful and challenging.
So, in memory of this little Jack Russell X I decided that I wanted to create a collection of children's stories about the adventures of 'Stewie dog' who I often referred to as Super Stewie. I'd written the stories but I wanted to bring them to life with a Stewie mascot. But what with illustration not being my strongest point, I needed an alternative that I could create independently - cue in polymer clay!
Off I went, out to the shops to purchase some clay just like the day I went and found Stewie. Several attempts in and I found myself looking at a model of Stewie on the table before me. What I didn't realise at the time was that through the creative process of writing his stories and creating a clay sculpture of him, I had reached a point in the grieving process where I felt that I could move forwards.
Then, one thought entered my mind: If I was finding his lack of presence difficult, what must my Mum, Stewie's adoptive mother be feeling?
When I needed to pursue my career in television broadcasting in London, she was the one person to step in and care for him as her own. Over the years he had grown to adore her and she him. He had given her everything he had once shared with me so I could only imagine how she was coping with his passing. Without a second thought, I gifted my first clay dog sculpture to her for a Mother's Day gift and clay Stewie now sits proudly in their bay window.
The moral of the story is that even in our darkest times emotionally and mentally, turning to a creative outlet can not only help us find the light at the end of the tunnel but also help connect us with the loved ones around us as we are often not in isolation when suffering with poor mental health.
This week's podcast episode is all about mental health and how getting creative can be a route back into a balanced mindset. I am especially proud of my niece Emilia for her mature contribution to this sensitive topic and one I am so passionate about, so please give it a listen and like: https://youtu.be/8xT1BoANBds
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