Smile Again: A Suicide Loss Healing Gallery.

In Loving Memory of My Brother
Ivan Gregory Mikulić
5 January 1968 – 28 October 2014

This series of photos were taken in early 2015, several months after my Brother ended his own life.

That hit me hard.

After a seriously bad week I promised my older Sister that I would smile again, just for her.

And so for a month and a half I took a photo of something that had a smile in it to try and find my own smile again … some of these photos are pure kitsch … I even painted a great big ruddy smilie face on my living room wall as a constant reminder!

All the photos then had multiple filters run over them in an iOS® photography app for iPad® called BeFunky®.

Today, 29 April 2020, a little over five and a half years later, the pain is no longer what it was albeit my Brother’s presence is still deeply missed.

The image is the digital scrapbook layout of my brother and his wife on Christmas day 2010 as we all relaxed after a wonderful Christmas Day. — Digital Scrapbook Layout: Christmas Day 2010

The image is the digital scrapbook layout of my feeling about my Brother's death and loss by his own hand. — Digital Scrapbook Layout: My Brother

This gallery is being shared for anyone who needs inspiration to start smiling again after a suicide loss.

The taboo around talking about suicide grief needs to be broken.

If you too have lost someone to suicide all my love goes to you. The pain will lessen in its severity, just give yourself time.

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 45 Raspberry Gummy Lollies on Black Fabric — Day 45 Raspberry Gummy Lollies on Black Fabric

Daily photograph fr the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 44 Seashells on Plain Paper — Day 44 Seashells on Plain Paper

Daily photograph fr the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 43 Digital Smile on Photo of My Son’s T-shirt — Day 43 Digital Smile on Photo of My Son’s T-shirt

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 40 House Paint on My Living Room Wall — Day 40 House Paint on My Living Room Wall

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 41 Meccano Pieces, Plastic Ivy and Sunglasses on Black Fabric — Day 41 Meccano Pieces, Plastic Ivy & Sunglasses on Black Fabric

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 42 Fruit Mush After Secondary Kombucha Brewing — Day 42 Fruit Mush After Secondary Kombucha Brewing

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 39 Texta and Biro on Plain Paper — Day 39 Texta & Biro on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 38 Texta on Egg Carton — Day 38 Texta on Egg Carton

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 37 Torn Nori and Rice Paper Round on Sushi Roller — Day 37 Torn Nori & Rice Paper Round on Sushi Roller

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 36 Found “Cyclops” Shell on Plain Paper — Day 36 Found “Cyclops” Shell on Plain Paper

Smile Again: Day 35 Ribbons on Plain Paper — Day 35 Ribbons on Plain Paper

Smile Again: Day 34 Clover Leaves on Kitchen Towel Paper — Day 34 Clover Leaves on Kitchen Towel Paper

Smile Again: Day 31 Seaweed Rice Crackers and Biro on Plain Paper — Day 31 Seaweed Rice Crackers & Biro on Plain Paper

Smile Again: Day 32 Capsicum on Dinner Plate — Day 32 Capsicum on Dinner Plate

Smile Again: Day 33 Marker Pen on Plain Paper — Day 33 Marker Pen on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 30 Marker Pen on Plain Paper with Pencil Set Embellishments — Day 30 Marker Pen on Plain Paper with Pencil Set

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 29 Chess Pieces in Box — Day 29 Chess Pieces in Box

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 28 Paper Cutting and Texta on Project Board — Day 28 Paper Cutting and Texta on Project Board

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 27 Optical Illusion Cards on Transparent Plastic Covered Project Board — Day 27 Optical Illusion Cards on Plastic & Project Board

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 26 Mandarin Peel on Dinner Plate — Day 26 Mandarin Peel on Dinner Plate

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 25 Biro on Chamomile Tea Bag — Day 25 Biro on Chamomile Tea Bag

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 24 Charcoal on Origami Paper — Day 24 Charcoal on Origami Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 23 Digital Image Manipulation on IPad — Day 23 Digital Image Manipulation on IPad

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 22 Digital Editing on iPad Photo of the Sky — Day 22 Digital Editing on iPad Photo of the Sky

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 19 Texta on Plain Paper — Day 19 Texta on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 20 Black Chia Seeds on Gravy Tin Bottom — Day 20 Black Chia Seeds on Gravy Tin

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 21 Sunflower Seeds on Plain Paper — Day 21 Sunflower Seeds on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 18 Grated Sea Salt on Black Fabric — Day 18 Grated Sea Salt on Black Fabric

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 17 Assorted Tree Nuts on Dinner Plate — Day 17 Assorted Tree Nuts on Dinner Plate

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 16 Pencils and Erasers on Transparent Plastic Covered Project Board — Day 16 Pencils and Erasers on Plastic & Project Board

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 15 Zentangle Inspiration Inked on Plain Paper — Day 15 Zentangle Inspiration Inked on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 14 Australian Coins on Journal Cover — Day 14 Australian Coins on Journal Cover

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 13 Cloves on Plain Paper — Day 13 Cloves on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 10 Lemon & Lime on Hand-made Serving Board — Day 10 Lemon & Lime on Hand-made Serving Board

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 11 Buttons including Vintage on Cardstock — Day 11 Buttons including Vintage on Cardstock

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 12 Steel Staples on Black Fabric — Day 12 Steel Staples on Black Fabric

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 9 Hand-drawn Crossword Grid, Pencil on Plain Paper — Day 9 Hand-drawn Crossword Grid, Pencil on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 8 Steam on Bathroom Mirror — Day 8 Steam on Bathroom Mirror

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 7 Gluten Free Flour on Serving Platter — Day 7 Gluten Free Flour on Serving Platter

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 6 Crayon on Plain Paper — Day 6 Crayon on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 5 Fresh Raspberries on a Dinner Plate — Day 5 Fresh Raspberries on Dinner Plate

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 4 Bird Bath and Oregano Flowers — Day 4 Bird Bath & Oregano Flowers

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 3 Christmas Ornaments including a Hand-made one, arranged on Carpet Rug. — Day 3 Christmas Ornaments

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 2 Homemade Charcoal on Plain Paper — Day 2 Homemade Charcoal on Plain Paper

Daily photograph for the special memorial project called Smile Again; A suicide loss healing gallery. Day 1 Beach Sand — Day 1 Beach Sand

If you have a loved one, including yourself!,
that you are concerned about,
please reach out for advice and support.

Suicide Prevention Resources:

Social Media hashtags: #ItsNotWeakToSpeak #ItAintWeakToSpeak

Australian Department of Health: Suicide Prevention in Australia

Lifeline Australia: Ph. 131114 Lifeline.org.au

Suicide Call Back Service Ph. 1300 659 467 SuicideCallBackService.org.au

MensLine Australia: Ph. 1300 789 978 MensLine.org.au