The Art of Healing:
My Journey Through Cancer
Art and Poetry by Gay Walker
Show runs September 12th - October 17th

"Cycle of the Butterfly"

In May of 1998, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I had been working as an art therapist with children, and later, adults who had cancer (and doing breast cancer retreats). I thought I would be granted immunity—wrong. I also thought that since I knew a lot about the emotions that accompanied this diagnosis I could avoid them—wrong again.

So I began my journey with a full dose of emotions. The most important way I knew to process my emotions and to cope was to turn to my own world of creative expression—deeply use the tools I was sharing with others. The art work you will see, and poems you will read were never intended to be publicly shown, but were my own therapy. I am ready to share them with others now, because I believe that this experience was given to me with the responsibility to help others, share, and to give back.

Some of the drawings have come from my journal, and others have gradually urged me to paint them. This is an ongoing process and the story is not yet finished. Along the way, I have studied painting with Conrad Kaufman. I am evolving as an artist and guard my painting time carefully. Painting is my way of communicating with myself—and is also my meditation and prayer, and stress-reducer. I know that my creativity and art-making are helping me stay well. This last summer, after my 10th anniversary, my oncologist released me from being a patient. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to say "I WAS a cancer patient."

It is my hope that as you see this exhibit, you might be inspired to do your own art as a way to cope with whatever comes into your life—and heal. Art therapy is not about producing great art—it is about being authentic about your feelings and expressing yourself honestly. It is about the process, rather than the product.

—Gay Walker