April, 2026

Dear friend:

This spring has been very busy so I have decided to create a guide to my FotoFest Participating Space show, which is titled

IGNITE YOUR LIFE! Honoring the Deceased

and is on view through Sunday, May 3 at Unity of Houston at 2929 Unity Drive. It's the church near Westheimer and Hillcroft with a beautiful pyramid; the Art Gallery is in the Bookstore building, which is adjacent to the pyramid. The show is available for viewing 2 more Sundays from 11am-12:30pm -- Sunday, April 26 and Sunday, May 3.

You can see all about my show in this guide, and by clicking here. I am giving you this guide because there are many details I want you to know about -- and a couple of events to mark on your calendar. I hope you'll look this over and plan to join me whenever and however you can!

My show features a focused selection of 14 works -- photographs of 15 people. The grouping emerged while I was cataloging photographs from my IGNITE YOUR LIFE! art project, which I began in 2013. As I reviewed the archive, I discovered that some of the individuals I photographed had since passed away. Bringing their images together in a single exhibition felt both necessary and meaningful. Each subject has an accompanying short bio and an object of remembrance; the objects will be on view when I am present. Despite the brevity of many encounters, each story and each person remains vivid to me.

Assembling this exhibition has been profoundly moving, and I am honored to present it as part of the FotoFest Participating Spaces program, of which there are around 80 shows this year.

Click on the video for a chat with me

about the show!

Click on the photo of Ted with the red car

for my OutSmart article about the show!

There are 2 upcoming events I have created to complement my exhibition; please click on the images for more info. They have been designed to create a nurturing time in the Unity pyramid.

Each event is a $10 suggested donation.

THE SOUND OF GRIEF: HEALING WITH WORDS & MUSIC is taking place in the Unity pyramid on Wednesday, April 29 from

7-8pm.

I will be joined by friends and artists Christa Forster, Isabelle Ganz, Angela LaMonte, and Maureen McNamara in honoring our brothers who have passed away with words and music. Losing a sibling is a unique devastation, especially losing one prematurely. Words and flute music will be the vehicle for sharing and healing.

The program features women who have lost their brothers as a stepping off point, inspired by the loss of my brother, and how that event has shaped my art and my life. This one hour event -- part of the Midweek at Unity series -- will explore the inevitable emotion of grief in a way that is tender and healing. There will be time for sharing from others.

THE SOUND OF GRIEF is for everyone, not just those who have lost a sibling. We want to open a space in our hearts to help each other and to name / listen to grief. It will be a gentle night and there will be plenty of tissues. Special memorial candles will be lit as part of the evening. Please bring a copy of any photos of deceased loved ones to hang on the exhibition's Memento Photo-line. The Photo-line will be on display in the pyramid during this event and then moved back into the exhibition (where's it's been since March 8) following the event.

Pictured is me with my brother Geoffrey Gish as toddlers.

FROM BREATH TO BREATH: CELEBRATING LIFE AND DEATH is taking place in the Unity pyramid on Saturday, May 2 from 11:30am-5pm.

Enjoy an all-afternoon, very special community gathering that includes a World Labyrinth Day Walk; live harp music; bubbles; a community BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch); a poetry busker's performance; massages, reiki, and other healing modalities; a conversation on “The Last Breath”; an interpretive dance; information on end-of-life documents, art-making, writing your life story, paired conversations with prompts, and much more!

~FULL SCHEDULE~

• 11:30am-12:30pm: BYOL (Bring Your Own Lunch), a time to eat together and connect together

• 12-12:30pm: improv poetry performance by Ugochi Emenaha

• 12:30-1pm: event welcoming by Sarah Gish with explanation of self-directed activities and scheduled events and service providers (and a teeny bit of fun group singing!)

• 1-2pm: World Labyrinth Day Walk on Healing Broken Hearts with Cathy Whitman-Ingram. The labyrinth will be available from 11:30am-5pm for self-directed walking.

• 1-3pm: private sessions for those who sign up (Reiki with Debbie Mack, Massage with Adam Skidmore, Sound Healing with Soufiane Sattva; Information on end-of-life documents with Eileen Allen)

• 2-3pm: “The Last Breath” discussion about death with Amber Ramirez (death doula), Melanie Harrell (past life regression facilitator), and Clay Dippel (funeral director at Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral Services). This event is moderated by Sarah Gish.

• 3-3:30pm: dance performance -- "The Cycle of Birth, Life, Death, and Beyond" -- by Sky Shotwell

• 4-4:30pm: harp performance by Naomi Hoffmeyer

• 4:30-4:45pm: bubble meditation by Tracie Jae

• 4:45-5pm: closing of event and goodbyes

• 11:30am-5pm: the pyramid will have areas for people to enjoy community and self-guided activities such as writing your life story, paired conversations with prompts, art-making, and handheld labyrinths

• 11:30am-5pm: the Art Gallery will be open for viewing the art exhibition by Sarah Gish



Please enjoy my "Playing with Death" Spotify playlist, which contains almost 5 hours of songs inspired by the afterlife. And please enjoy my "IGNITE YOUR LIFE! Honoring the Deceased" YouTube playlist of interviews

with those who have passed.

I hope to see you at the events!

Sarah Gish

www.IgniteYourOwnLife.com

713.492.1173