'Thanatopsis' DEATH DOULA TALK

‘Thantatopsis- Contemplations on Death, Grief, and Renewal’ is a partnership program presented by the Royal Nebeker Gallery at Clatsop Community College and Astoria Visual Arts, in Astoria, Oregon, September 21 - October 22, 2026 featuring an art exhibition and five accompanying public events and workshops that foster deeper connection through discussion and creativity. Community members are invited to reflect on mortality, grief, healing, and the shared experience of loss.

A moderated in-person conversation will take place at the Royal Nebeker Gallery, with Emma Lewis Acker, Marne Lucas, Colesie Tharp, Dardinelle Troen, and moderator Jo Brickman are all practicing end-of-life doulas (EOLD). They will discuss their relationship to end-of-life care, and to each other as artists and doulas, and their artistic processes and materials. An opportunity for questions and answers will follow.

End-of-life care advocacy materials will be made available throughout the duration of the exhibition, and at the related workshop series held at the Astoria Visual Arts gallery in downtown Astoria.

An end of life doula or “death doula” is a non-medical emotional, spiritual, and practical support role that advocates for the wishes of the dying person and their loved ones. They can also provide grief support, assist with legacy projects, provide education on the dying process, and help make burial plans. The artists share an ethos of caregiving and end of life care advocacy in art and life.

Emma Lewis Acker is an end-of-life doula and artist living and working in Brooklyn, NY, She founded All’s Well Initiative to provide compassionate end-of-life care across the socioeconomic spectrum of NYC. All’s Well also cultivates a growing EOLD network, hosting bimonthly, in-real-life gatherings that provide support and education to the local doula community. She is part of the Artists’ Grief Deck project and a founding team member of Here to Honor, fostering death literacy within communities. Emma is an EOL Academic Doula Instructor with the University of Vermont. She was recently featured in The New Yorker article “The Doulas Who Help Us Die” by Alexandra Schwartz. www.emmalewisacker.com/ www.allswellinitiative.com

Marne Lucas is a multidisciplinary artist and death doula working at the intersection of art, science, and health, using conceptual overlaps: life’s energy, the body, and mortality, in social practice investigations. Lucas’ long-term projects are informed by the events and emotions of the community around her, and are inspired by the death doula and palliative care movements. An infrared thermal video pioneer, she uses heat-sensitive imaging technology to illuminate the magic and fragility of human life cycles. Founder of the ‘Bardo Project, Lucas explores creativity as a form of spiritual care in collaborations with terminally ill artists to establish their legacy. Lucas received training via INELDA as an End of Life Doula, a role that supports the dying and their families, and has been a practicing EOLD since 2016. Marne has collaborated with artists, choreographers, dancers, musicians, activist groups, sex workers, health care and LGBTQIA non-profits, and the public at large. www.marnelucas.com

Colesie Tharp (she/her) grew up in the beautiful landscape of Eastern Oregon surrounded by her Basque family, whose historical stories led her to pursue deeper exploration of people, community and ritual. She has a background as a teacher and researcher working in Early Childhood Education, and is now a practicing End of Life Doula (EOLD) and Caregiver- an environment that lends itself naturally to hold and celebrate life - all while deeply honoring diverse experiences through practices that meet the individual's beliefs. She received EOLD training at the University of Vermont and received her Bachelor of Arts degree at Lewis and Clark College where she studied Theater. She is currently employed as a caregiver at Hopewell House Hospice as well as a Doula in private homes. Tharp’s EOLD practice includes rituals to be used in the landscape of death and dying: creating intentional spaces, altars, anointing dying loved ones with oils, listening and documenting life stories, and bringing in dear objects from their lives to add to their environment to bring peace and closure.

Dardinelle Troen is an artist, designer, and end-of-life doula based in Astoria, OR. Working at the intersection of art and death, her art explores our interdependence with the Earth and all living beings. Death is the natural outcome of life, and Troen’s art serves as a memento and a talisman. Each piece she creates is a personal meditation on impermanence and the brevity of our existence. Troen has participated in artist residencies in Wales, U.K. and The Atacama Desert in Chile to learn techniques in bio char soil remediation, which she applies to her sculptures. Dardinelle hosts monthly Death Cafes in Astoria, Oregon. www.viemort.com www.ditroen.com/

Jo Brickman, Moderator Jo is a transformational leader in design, sustainability, and nonprofit management. With Ensō Consulting, she is leveraging over twenty years of experience in private and non-profit sector roles to benefit companies and nonprofits with the potential to effect systems change for the better. As an INELDA-trained death doula, Jo also provides compassionate, nonmedical support to individuals, families, and their circles of care as they encounter and navigate death, loss, and mortality. She is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the local band, Drunken Angel. www.enso-consult.com/

Royal Nebeker Gallery is dedicated to sustaining and promoting contemporary art and visual culture through exhibitions and programming, which creates a stimulating environment conducive to learning and creative expression. Enriching the cultural life of the campus, the local community, and the North Coast region. Providing local and statewide leadership in the exhibition of contemporary art through regional, national, and international exhibitions. Enhancing visual literacy and critical thinking while promoting the highest professional standards of artistry and craft. Fusing our instructional programs in the Arts and Humanities directly to the cultural vitality of the community.

Astoria Visual Arts creates opportunities for people of all ages and walks of life to engage with the arts. Founded in 1989, Astoria Visual Arts is a cornerstone of creative expression and community connection providing dynamic exhibitions, youth-focused initiatives, and support for artists at every stage of their careers. As a member-based organization, we work together to support the arts and the artists in our community.

Oregon Humanities Oregon Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Oregon Humanities, formerly the Oregon Council for the Humanities, was established in 1971 and is one of five statewide partners of the Oregon Cultural Trust.

Grants This project is funded in part by Oregon Humanities with support from Meyer Memorial Trust.

Gallery Hours - Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. Weekends by appointment only. The Royal Nebeker Gallery is free and open to the public, and is ADA accessible. For more information contact Kristin Shauck at kshauck@clatsopcc.edu.