When Cancer Came to Call

I find it somewhat ironic that my “Art Website” which has languished in the doldrums for the past couple of years, should suddenly pop into my mind during a sleepless night with much meddwl yn y nos (thinking in the night)

The past couple of years have been busy and fulfilling, (so busy and fulfilling that I have totally neglected my website, blog and newsletter – but thats OK – no one reads blogs anymore!)

I have been creating work to sell at the Galeri Harlech and enjoyed being part of No Rules Textile Society with the lovely Jayne Emerson and a tribe of wonderful textile(ish) artists

For this year 2025 I had a solo pop up planned for September in the Galeri Harlech, and agreed to submit work to a group show at Oriel Ty Meirion – all fabulous.

Around Christmas, my normal mammogram appointment came through, I think I even told a friend I didn’t want to go as I hated getting my kit off in the Winter in a cold and gloomy portacabin – but I did go and a small lump was the January result – and the resulting breast cancer diagnosis is what has been filing me head for the past 4 months and when, despite claiming otherwise, my life has changed

I do not want my “Musings from the Studio” to be about cancer, but if what I write is to be about Studio life – then cancer is currently a part of my life and so it will I suspect, inform my work to a greater or lesser degree – although quite how yet – I have no idea as it is only now, as I sit in my studio in front of my computer with no upcoming gallery shows, no fairs or upcoming events simply a summer of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, fluctuating energy and time to explore a different way of being.

Way back in January, before the mammogram results, with “No rules” many of the members were choosing our “word of the year” it is such a useful exercise to do. My word was “GRACE” and in our group chat I wrote;-

Grace is definitely my word for 2025, I would like to be kinder to myself and less cross! I give myself a hard time as I am not creating new work quickly enough, or good enough, or whatever the internal dialogue is on the day. I think this is particularly important as I get older, and this body cannot do what it did even 10 years ago, sadly I still think I am in my 30’s or 40’s

So I would like to move through my current studio practice with more grace, resulting in kindness to my body, my mind, my art, myself. I am hopeful, that by doing this I will be less cross (with myself)

I also roughly made a sheer curtain for the studio window with the word Grace – what an appropriate choice of word to hang on to for 2025,

My plan for this summer is to continue to do what I can to supply sketchbooks and note books to the Galeri Harlech. I will also take this time to experiment and play around with creating them, I think they can be made a little bit at a time which will work with my energy levels.

I will need to practise with a ruler and knife – I seem to be incapable of cutting a straight line, but the experimentation will be fun!

New Moon in Taurus April 2025