Cancer - or lack thereof

5 years ago today I had the mammogram that saved my life. Couldn’t feel it even though they said it had been growing for 6-8 years. But the mammogram found it. I looked at the images before I left and I said to the tech, oh that doesn’t look good. She said they would call me if it was something and I got the call a few days later.

For some people this is a life changing experience but I was lucky. For me thankfully it was more one of those little bumps in life we all get. A touch scary but eventually over other than the drugs.

But last night it interrupted my sleep. There’s such a fuss made over the 5 year mark and even though I haven’t quite made it there, it will be here soon. My hope is that I’ll be able to stop the nasty drugs and then I won’t have the daily reminder.

But I’ll always remember the day it all started because it was my birthday present 5 years ago. Even though the spot I saw on the images wasn’t actually where the cancer was…

You took my breath away

I had my world shaken by one person's images while jurying an art fair. Today was the jury for the art fair that Michael Kifer and I run in Kalamazoo Michigan. Because this is a different type of art fair (the Garage Sale Art Fair), Michael and I jury the show ourselves. It's something I'm very comfortable doing and really enjoy. This time it was even better.

Without permission I can't use the person's name but I will tell you that I wish the images of my own work evoked the strength of the feelings that these did for me. Just when you've seen your fill of overworked, over Photoshopped images, one person's work comes up on the screen and reaches up to grab you by the heart. I caught my breath and just drank it in. 

There's a lesson to be learned here for all of us. Make your images speak. Let them tell a story. Don't worry about making those big expensive pieces of your work because you think that's what a jury wants to see. Let the jury feel your work and they will get it. And you'll probably get into more of the shows that you want to do. I know I'm rethinking my own images...