ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the abridged arts-based research exploration of the author’s personal experience of grief and loss associated with infertility. It focuses on the themes that arose from the creative process, rather than reflecting in depth about each particular technique or material employed. Heuristic inquiry is rooted in phenomenology, which is concerned with theories of experience and how the ‘lived’ experience of a particular phenomenon is captured. The process begins with a question or problem the researcher wishes to answer or explore, the aim being the discovery of meaning or essence of human experience. In the initial stages of the research process it is essential to fully immerse oneself in the phenomenon being investigated. Using repetition of gestures, marks or forms can be indicative of an attempt on behalf of the maker to comprehend or tackle an idea or concept.
