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bio
blog:notes-from-glastonbury.blogspot.com/
Change Happens!
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The world seemed to stop…then re-engage forward in slow-mo. Of course I immediately spun into denial until finally after my operation I had to face the facts: I had stage two cancer (there are four) with a malignant tumor in my left breast and cancerous cells in my lymph nodes. Even though the surgeon believed she removed everything, she recommended chemo, just in case.
That was June 2005. The following month, I was in chemo, enduring the most aggressive therapy available (my choice) and learning how to fight for my life. By mid-fall, my therapy was done, I had a month's reprieve and then back to surgery to remove my other breast. There was a 20% chance of the cancer returning in that one. Too much to risk for me. Even
though I didn't know it at the time, I was beginning a new journey: I
was taking a big bend in the road. After my last surgery, my
whole perspective of life began to change. Actually I think it was
changing during chemo. After operating my own
advertising and public relations agency for over 25 years, I decided to
turn to my first passion: fine art. For
years I had been under a tremendous amount of stress. I realized that I needed to make some changes. Interestingly, I had already started on that path without
knowing this was going to be a new destination for me. About four years ago, I began illustrating a travel book that I was also writing. Within a few months though, I found myself illustrating more than writing and before long, I was drawing/painting every evening and every weekend. Any free time I had from the business and home, I spent on art. Slowly I became obsessed. I
borrowed books from the library, studied under local professionals
[Susan Foley—Pastel, Linda Aman and George Corneil—Watercolor, Renee
Paudler—Drawing], listened to lectures, visited art museum, galleries.
I just couldn’t get enough. Everything around me became eye
candy—shadows were colorful, streets glistened with all sorts of hues, the clouds floated with yellows during the day and a totaly
new palette at dusk. Suddenly I was back in my college years
again, but now I was learning real techniques
on how to draw and paint. Unfortunately, in the late 60s and early 70s
teachers wanted us to “express” ourselves, so they never taught us
any techniques. I
eventually was juried into the Watercolor Society of Oregon and the
Oregon Society of Artists and participated in a variety of shows,
including the Rose Festival Art Show 2005 and 2006. Today, I still spend a lot of time learning new techniques and methods by taking classes whenever I can. I'm in the process of designing greeting cards for the cancer patient and recently donated one of my paintings "Surviving in Grand Style" to St. Vincent's Hospital in Portland, Ore., for their new cancer wing. A
few months after my surgery, I spent
a considerable amount of time writing curriculum for a class I wanted to
teach. Then I tested it on volunteers -- thank you all. From there I
started offering more classes to the general
public at my studio and at the Village Gallery of Arts in Beaverton. I
haven't looked back ever since. Today I am teaching a 10-week Pencil
to Brush class and three separate workshops.
I truly believe anyone can draw. Yes, some people have a penchant for drawing,
but that doesn’t mean a person can’t learn. For more of my
philosophy on drawing, please turn to my page on workshops
and classes. I
guess you could say that I am a crusader for those folks who would love to draw,
but who believe they can't. Everyone can draw, it takes learning the
basics, commitment and practice. Even Michelangelo, the
master painter of the Sistine Chapel said, when asked what one had to do
to be a great artist, said, "Draw, draw, draw." So
there you have it. By facing one of my biggest fears—cancer—I
actually created a whole new life for myself. It was there in front of
me all the time, I just didn’t see it. I love what I do today and wouldn't
want to change the past for anything. Instead I feel like I'm really
beginning to live, for the first time ever.
And
there's more...
June
2006: Here
I am at my son's high school graduation with lots of hair coming in! Strength, hope and courage are my constant
companions. However, I would never had gotten through this whole
experience without the help of my Angel Squad--my dear friends. They took me to doctor's appointments, chemo treatments, lunches, outings and so
much more. I can never, ever repay these friends directly, but for
the rest of my life, I will be passing the blessings along to
others. One day I was approached by a woman with a full head of
hair who reassured me that this too shall pass. Since then I've
made a commitment that I will approach every chemo patient with
the same hope. That moment helped me and I want to do the same for
others. And
now I'm going to beat my drum a bit more and implore all of you
gals out there to get your mammograms. In my case, the cancer was
originally found because a brilliant radiologist didn't like
the looks of the micro-calcifications
in my left breast (something that had been overlooked
for nearly four years with my mammograms at another place). Lesson
learned: get a hard copy of your mammograms and if you see
micro-calcifications on the report, talk with your doctor. But
most of all, get the test. It has saved my life and I'm cherishing every
moment I have today. |
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Copyright 2009-2010 by Jill Jeffers Goodell. All Rights Reserved. 503.524.6981
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