You may have noticed that nothing has changed on my website in the last year other than painting sales. That’s because on December 26th 2023 I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. What followed was fear, sadness and a lot of waiting for the medical system to follow up with me.
In a nutshell, they took months for a consult and told me the wait for surgery would be considerable. We decided to have the surgery in Seattle where they could get to me in a month. The surgery in the States was successful and was followed up with care at the Victoria Cancer Agency.
My chemo and radiation lasted months and I finished them in November 2024. Between this and the complete hysterectomy, I have been spending a lot of time healing. Art is the reason I get up every day and is one of my true loves. Unfortunately the cancer was all consuming and took my art spark from me.
The good news is I am getting my spark back and am looking forward to 2025. I’m doing a personal get back to (art)work program (if you can call it that). I’ve started a few things and can’t wait until I have a bit more stamina. Building my stamina will take several more months but I am ready for it.
As far as they know my cancer has not spread and they got all of it out. The chemo and radiation were done as an extra precaution. The doctors don’t expect it to ever come back. Good riddance.
I’m ready for the one year anniversary of that terrible call and I’m ready to put it all behind me. I’m hella stubborn and will not let this second bought of cancer stop me from doing what I love. Right now it’s baby steps but I am all in. Bring on the art. I had a lot of plans for 2024 that dissolved when I got the diagnosis so I feel like 2025 is my time to catch up.
I want to say, as my art collectors, you kept me going. You reminded me that my art was still relevant and that my career was only on pause. All the wonderful comments I received on Instagram kept me going. Thank you for following, buying and for loving my art.
And as for this next year, 2025, it will be about dreaming, painting, creating and feeling grateful that I am still alive.