More Art

I wanted to share the results of my terrific experience participating in Art for Cancer Foundation's trial 5 week workshop. The workshop was great on so many levels.  I learned new techniques and got to experiment.  The art is so engaging for me that I don't think about anything else, except creating art.  I met interesting people, perhaps it says something about the people who would seek out this kind of support during thier cancer journey.  One of the neat things is that we don't formally talk about cancer and since it isn't the focus, there is a break from the constant focus that being a cancer patient demands.  Likewise for those who are actively engaged in treatment, there is no explanation needed for all the side effects.  Everyone present has been engaged in a similar process on some level, so no explanation needed.

Here's my art from the 5 sessions:

untitled: pastels

Sunflower & Butterfly: ink, acrylic, gesso

Picked: tissue paper, napkin paper, fiber, acrylic, ink

Golden Hills: gesso texture, sand, acrylic and metallic glaze

the screening dilemma resolved: tissue paper, newspaper, gesso texture, acrylic, glaze

a creative writing exercise

I just came across a neat creative exercise by Janet Ruffin http://www2.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/2012/02/thrown-poems-shock-the-mind.html#more through the Ultrasounds blog (www.ultra-sounds.org). I just love this exercise, so I'm sharing it with everyone.
Choose a book, flip to a random page, randomly choose 3 words and 3 phrases; flip to another page and repeat; work the words until you have poem that emerges.
Here's mine:
From the four directions of the circle
Trust all responses are subjective.
Seriously, let feelings unfold
Coherence will emerge
Perspective will be convincingly intimate
Write, paint, sing!
Something essential that cannot be sacrificed.

Art for Cancer

Just a quick little note.  Tomorrow is the opening of an art exhibit I will be part of.  It is by a new organization called Art For Cancer Foundation which provides art workshops for cancer patients and their caregivers.  The exhibit opens tomorrow and runs through to February 24 at the Toronto City Hall Rotunda.

trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=oiCN6avKrl8
website: http://artforcancerfoundation.org/
listing of event: https://wx.toronto.ca/festevents.nsf/a2f14808aae0d4f1852572ff0066124a/ab754150d3bf6214852579a000417a9f?OpenDocument

 

If you are interested in seeing more of my art, please see my newly launched website: www.abelcreation.com

using insomnia

I don't usually have insomnia.  I usually sleep soundly. My greatest bad habit of sleep is staying up too late, but not usually this late (my computer time says 2:55 am). I believe this is the result of the steroid I am on to help counteract the side effects of the new drug that I start with chemotherapy tomorrow.  I was on a lower dose with my previous three sessions and had some insomnia issues then, and well, I took my doses by lunchtime hoping they would not affect sleep, oh well. So, I was in bed thinking and came to thinking about something to share that I found inspiring in my week. And, I might as well make use of my awake time since this new drug is likely to make me more fatigued in coming days then the last set of drugs.
Before I started my chemotherapy treatments, I became aware of an expressive arts class.  I loved the previous training I was in, so I decided to sign up for it. Also, I signed up for the class choosing to make it a cancer-free zone.  At this point my classmates do not know that I have been going through cancer treatments, only the facilitator; the new people, as I knew someone from the previous course, don't even know that I am widowed.  I think it was a good choice, as I got to be me in just my essence. Maybe they will know in future; I plan to share my art and writing from my journey in some sort of art show for friends, family, collegues - so hopefully as my classmates who have been part of this healing process will be part of my sharing process too.
This past week was the last class. We played with words and did some activities to close our 10 sessions of creating/play/art with each other. I'd like to share the art that was done, for me, from this class. Towards the mid-way point of the class we were asked to take a sheet of paper and write our name on it. Then the other class members were encouraged to write words/draw on it with their reflections about me. (We did this for each class member simultaneously in about 20 minutes). After the pages were filled, we took them to our seating area and randomly chose a page. The group used low-skill percussive instruments to make a song with the words they saw on the page.  It was awing, beautiful and a bit embarrassing - I guess I need to work on owning my gifts. Here is the visual results of our final class (thanks classmates for your words and art - the only thing of mine is my name).

... and yes that is a 5 lb. weight hold the end of the page from rolling.