I am pleased to share with you my newest project, Radioactive Painting (How a Cancer Treatment Lit Up My Creative Practice), a book I've written to share the profound turning point in my life of stepping into creativity and compassion. I hope it will help nurture the creative (and compassionate) spark in others.
Right now I'm in the hair-raising-prayer-inducing process of sending out my proposal to potential agents and publishers. (I welcome any leads!) Why did I feel compelled to write? How in the world did I find time to write a book, paint, and do my day job and spend time with my family?
When I was in isolation for thyroid cancer treatment, I created this painting (below), " A New Story Was Needed and So She Wrote It." In addition to painting, writing has been a core component of my healing.
I wrote this manuscript over a course of 18 months, much of my writing time was between 5-6:30am and also two self-initiated writing retreat weekends to do major in-depth edits and re-arranging.
Writing this book has been a work of the heart. I have felt compelled to share this experience. Writing has been a way for me to synthesize and digest the lessons learned through cancer and at the canvas.
While writing, I have wrestled self-doubt and discovered my humanity. I'm struck by the power of showing up daily toward a goal and actually making some progress (even when it doesn't feel like it). One of my grounding mantras was from Glennon Doyle, "What is the most beautiful and true story you can tell?"
I am open to sharing my story more broadly and curious what that might look like. If you or anyone you now might help me make new connections--I'm open!
Thank you for all the encouragement and support along the way. I'm excited about this new step in sharing my story and a message of compassion and helping others to step into creativity as well.