Visual Inspiration to Patients and Families of St. Michael's Hospital's (Toronto, ON) Breast Centre

Every Woman’s Story is an artistic endeavor through 5 art panels to celebrate the female heroines of our times who as Mothers, Nurses, Teachers, Artists, Poets, and Friends, live full and rewarding lives giving and nurturing and mending the souls they touch.

These heroines live hard for us, while in this world, and then suddenly, like the last flicker of warm candlelight, they leave us and start a new journey, a new adventure, a new path of enlightenment. And although they leave us behind, these women whose fears of moving forward have finally been calmed, still continue to tap us on the shoulder from time-to-time in a sudden des ja vu that only we understand.

Their gifts to us while still of this world continue to be unwrapped by us. Their teachings continue to be learned and passed along to others. Their gentle kiss on the cheek can still be felt. And somehow we find the strength to pick up the paintbrush and create a place for ourselves without her. Or we pick up the pen and map out our own next chapter of life with her quiet guidance.

Without knowing these heroines of ours, we would be lost.

And so this project is many things. It is a thank you from us to those who moved on. It is a note of encouragement to those who have just started the journey of walking through this clinic door. It is a celebration of lives passed and lives to be lived.

Remember that every woman is loved, every woman is a heroine and Every Woman’s Story counts.

Carol Mark, owner of the ACA Gallery (Art Can Change the World) and the Catherine Collective are the benefactors for the commissioning of this artwork. Ms Mark has had her life touched by 5 women who have all passed away as a result of Breast Cancer. In her memories of these 5 women and others she meets through breast cancer support groups, she has expressed that she would like her friends lives to be the main inspiration for me to create an art piece that would be a celebration not of just these women’s lives, but to be interpreted by myself to reach out and touch all women’s lives going through the major challenge of healing from Breast Cancer.

Each of the women had a special role they reveled in during their life; one as Mother, one as Teacher, a Hospice Nurse, a Poet and finally an Artist. After her father's death from cancer, Ms. Mark decided to help others and was hired as a Community Development Worker to establish Breast Cancer Support Groups in Ontario presently Willow Breast Cancer Support. She realized women going through breast cancer diagnosis, ongoing treatment or occurrence need support.

In initial conversations for this project, it was decided that using the medium of textile and the traditional textile related skills which can involve weaving, lace making, embroidery, quilting, rug hooking and other thread and fabric techniques be used to tell this story. I will explore the traditional stitch in order to implement new and creative elements into a contemporary work of art.

In the five roles relished, the one common thing they all shared was to nurture which through the Oxford Dictionary means to nourish, rear, foster, train and educate. What better way to symbolize the act of nurturing by women than by incorporating the act of stitching into this artwork?

Nurturers heal, mend, hold things together with their love. A needle pulling thread through cloth also heals, mends, holds things together, and I do this stitching with true love and respect at every pass.

And like women, the stitch has an amazing history that is shared universally. The past and present are filled with sewing circles, quilting bees, and there are many guilds and associations around the world that bring women together to stitch and provide support and camaraderie to each other. Even whole villages of women use the stitch to support their communities as a whole. Stitching binds women together in friendship.

And so I have begun this incredible journey of privilege and wish to share the process I will be going through to chronicle Every Woman's Story which I do with passion and respect.

In the Beginning

Several months of conversations and meetings with the Benefactor was the first step to establishing the project's concept, the general process to be followed in its execution, and an agreeable project timeline to be established.

During this time family members of those to be honored donated journals, photographs and special objects of memory to inspire me.

Next I visited the Hospital to gain an understanding of the space where the artwork would hang.

Then with some technology assistance and a sketchbook I came up with inital design idea.

Next I added my own collection of trinkets and baubles to help with the design. This will continue to be an ongoing step throughout the project.

Preparing The Canvas Background

Clean and pre-shrink canvas.

Let canvas completely dry.

Prepare to cut canvas.

Iron canvas before and after cutting.

Measure and mark for cutting.

Cut.

Colour inspiration taken from one of the journals.

Selecting paints and stains.

Mixing the base colour.

Testing stains and practicing application techniques.

Staining the canvas.

Prepared canvas.

5 Women Honored

Each panel is designed to honor one of 5 women whose battle with Breast Cancer was lost, but lived incredible lives. Their spirits offer inspiration to those who courageously carry on the battle.

Anna

Laura

Hema