As much as I fought integrating into Southern living, I’ve managed to walk into terrains new to me and it brought unexpected happiness. After a friend came down with stage IV cancer, I suddenly got tired of trying to make “my” life good. From the looks of it, it was. I was breathing with no possible end in its near future unless I was hit by a bus. Within a weekend I went from trying to figure out which way to tweak my professional life to creating an international art show and charity event, a most humbling experience that’s way overdue.
To share, I’ve founded The Art Cure. When I thought I wouldn’t make it through life’s struggles and its confusing emotions I dove into art and discovered a perception never seen before. It bettered me.
I decided to help others through my experience with art and invited breast cancer survivors to paint with me while I documented the experience in a book, The Art Cure Diaries, which you can view and purchase. The paintings created during the art sessions will be up for a silent auction October 1 to 29, 2010. Online bidding is available. I’ve put my heart and soul into this for the past 2 and a half months and I’d love your participation.
I invite you to look at the fabulous project I’ve been a part of and the incredible messages you – we – should keep in mind as we go about our daily lives. National Breast Cancer Month begins in October. You might be tired of all that pink stuff in its over commercialized state but after my experience with The Art Cure, I embrace pink in ways I never have.
The Art Cure has 23 paintings by survivors, their daughters and friends – the majority of whom thought they weren’t artists until I offered the opportunity for them to discover what was hidden. The best of what and who we are is often in the shadows. So rarely we allow ourselves to enter that world. Many of these women have never painted before. Judging from the results, you’d hardly know. I’m so very proud of them. We also have works coming in from all over the world from other artists who wanted to be part of this event.
One hundred percent of all online silent auction sales will be donated to charity.
For details about the project, please visit www.theartcure.blogspot.com. To view my latest interview with Savannah Now’s “Talking Real”, click here.
Below is my contribution to the silent auction and it’s up for bidding in October. Make me proud, boys. It’s for the boobies.
Don’t forget to view the exclusive final result of this entire project right here: The Art Cure Diaries book. Its 152 pages are packed with beautiful photos, paintings and stories about women who survived or are undergoing breast cancer. It’s a work of love and inspiration and recommended for anyone who has been touched by breast cancer in their lives.
