Maine Holiday Cat Cards

New!
Greet your family and friends with the warmth and comfort this little kitty finds in the center of all the celebratory activities. Trimmed in red with a Happy Holiday greetings inside. 10 cards, 10 envelopes, gift boxed. View/Purchase Here.

Ok, yes, every cat has a story, and there is more to this cat than she's letting on here.

This is my cat, Silvie. She came out of the woods surrounding my house as a feral kitten and was living in my woodpile. It took 3 weeks of coaxing with kibbles just to get her to come out so I could have a look at her!, probably a month before she came up onto the porch, and many months before I felt she was safe to leave alone with my dog. I was afraid she would take my dog's nose off! That was many years ago now. She's mellowed quite a bit, as you can see. Silvie is quite civilized and socialized now, and can be very silly. I don't know how she fit herself into that basket. She doesn't like cameras, but I couldn't resist taking the picture. I think it makes a great Holiday Card. I hope you will agree, and get some to share with the cat lovers among your family and friends this Christmas Season.

Wish you had an artist website?

New Oil Paintings

Somehow in the during this last round of tests, the last only yesterday, I did manage to put some paint on a canvas or two. Here are two recent works available for sale.

Summer River 36x24x1 oil on canvas. $1200.00

Light, peace, and serenity.

View/Purchase

Maine Fall Blueberries #2 oil on canvas. 30x24x1 $1200.00
Autumn drama.

Prints also available.

Re-join the living...

I haven't shown my work locally much at all, and certainly not these past two years while dealing with surgeons, oncologists, endless monitoring, complications and side-effects from treatment. My last scans did show an area of concern for possible recurrence, and rather than jump right back into more surgery and treatment, I've decided to hold off and re-scan in a couple of months to see if there are any changes. So now it's time, and a couple of opportunities to show in various venues have come up. I've been busy matting and framing watercolors, and wiring canvases for hanging. I've already put some paintings in a cafe in downtown Bangor to be included in the Art Walk this month, and I will exhibit at Morgan Hill Event Center for 2 months starting mid-April. I hope to re-connect with a gallery that has had much success selling my work in the past. And I am also planning some changes and additions to my website which has been my main source of sales for many years. So I will continue my virtual existence being a cyber artist, but will make a few real life local appearances and look forward to meeting those who are interested in my work in person.

The Tyranny of Positive Thinking

It's always there, in the back of my mind. Although I've been breast cancer free for 1 and 1/2 years, deep in the recesses of my mind is the thought that it may come back. In my case there is a very good chance of recurrence within the first 4 years. I did all I can do medically with the best professional team I could find, and now I continue to take care of myself with diet, exercise and ways to try to reduce that risk, but lurking just beneath the surface the threat remains. Even after the initial devastation of surgery and treatment, having cancer is painful and exhausting. Some concerned persons are anxious to see me return to my old self, not realizing there is no way to go back to my pre-cancer self. One is never the same again. And it is a matter of biology whether the breast cancer returns or not. Either the chemotherapy worked or it didn't.

There is nothing more annoying than some well-meaning, but totally ignorant person, whether parent or sibling, lover or friend, telling me all I need to do to be "cured" is to exhibit a positive attitude and pray to god. That may make them feel better, but no amount of positive thinking on my part or prayer by entire congregations will change anything that's already happened or alter the outcome. Again, the treatment worked or it didn't. It is, however, possible to buy time with medical treatment and a healthy post treatment lifestyle; possible, but no guarantee. If, as a post-treatment cancer survivor, I am doing that, then I am already exhibiting an extremely positive attitude. Some days are better than others when there are side-effects from treatment to manage or adjust to for years or even permanently. So to expect me to accommodate and take care of others by denying my own reality with a chirpy "positive" attitude and prayers of thanks for a complete healing that may or may not have occurred is, in my opinion, abusive. It may make others who say they care feel better if I never talk about it, but it may also prove fatal to myself if I am not aware of how I am really feeling and available for follow-up medical monitoring. It will occasionaly come up in a conversation because it is such a huge reference point in my life, part of my experience, and very physical existence. Believe me, no one would be happier if I could turn back time and make it all go away.

My Visual Journal