A Journey: Two Views Life with Cancer ~ Art Exhibit during Breast Cancer Awareness Month at Lakeside Legacy in Crystal Lake, IL

Change your routine one Friday a
month and attend the First Friday Art Show at Lakeside Legacy Foundation in
Crystal Lake, IL. The public is invited to enjoy a fabulous time at the Dole
Mansion and Arts Park on Friday, October 4th from 5pm-8pm at 401 Country Club
Road in Crystal Lake, IL.  The October exhibit is titled A Journey: Two Views Life With Cancer by artists Janette Maley and Arthur Hand.


The monthly art show encourages guests to view art, mingle with the

artists, enjoy music, explore the Dole Mansion, all while enjoying light

appetizers and a cash bar. First Friday's are free to attend and donations to

the foundation are appreciated. The First Friday art shows are also family

friendly, but viewers are advised that the content of the October exhibit does

depict the journey of a beautiful woman who faced a catastrophic illness,

breast cancer, and that portions of the exhibit are of adult content. This

special exhibit at First Friday art show, will also feature an artist talk by

Arthur Hand. Hand speaks of the making of the
artwork, of Janette’s, and his own work. He will also speak of cancer,
including Janette’s challenges, fears, joys, and the challenges of being the
caregiver. Hand, will speak of the couple’s challenges from diagnosis to
Janette’s eventual death. Additionally, the art show will include a way the
public can honor and recognize caregivers, survivors, and those who lost their
battle with cancer.


When
asked to describe the exhibit, Arthur Hand said, “Over a span of eight years, I
photographed my wife, Janette Maley, through her battle with breast cancer. In
our many years together, she was always camera shy. But, shortly after her
diagnosis, in 1998 she asked me to make images of her. Initially, it was to be
a recorded memory on film of what her body was before surgery. But, the images
continued.  They were of her through surgery, chemo, radiation, and her
life and challenges until her death in 2006.”



Photographer,
Arthur Hand made these images as an attempt to understand the changes that had
taken place so quickly in his evolving world.  Hand has lost six family
members to cancer, and he did not understand the disease that haunted his
family. Through his wife’s illness, he hoped to finally confront cancer, to

face his fears, and to share in his wife’s fears. His photography was a way to

accompany her in this newly imposed journey, and as a way to come to terms with
what changes unfolded in their personal experiences and in their relationship
as husband and wife.


Janette
Maley was a painter. For many years, through her paintings, she created
environments occupied by figures going through their own dramas of life or
their own mythic journeys. Following her treatment, she made a series of

collage images that spoke of her personal journey through this illness. Arthur

Hand spoke of this saying, “Some nights she made 2 – 3 collages. The collages

conveyed what it felt for her going through this ordeal. They were less about

the specific look of a cancer patient. They represented the sensations,
emotions of treatment and recovery. Through this series of collage, she
portrayed herself experiencing her own drama and struggle for life.”



Through
these images, Hand and Maley hoped to show what life was for a woman facing
this catastrophic illness. Many women go through this experience in privacy,
and their pain and fears are hidden from much of the world around them. Through
these images in this exhibit, they hoped to share Janette’s journey and give
voice to countless women.


The work
has shown at Indiana University, Loyola University, Yavapai College, Augsburg
College, Northern Illinois University and Kutztown University. The photographs
from this show were awarded the Golden Light Award from the Maine
Photographic Workshops. They were shown in New York City as part of the award
presentation. The same images were nominated for the Santa Fe Photography
Award.


The work
consists of 95 photographs and 45 collages. Arthur Hand has also published a
book of this work. The book is available through Blurb.com.

It is the art show in book form. The link to purchase the book is http://www.blurb.com/b/3706614-a-journey-two-views .
Anything beyond costs of the book will go to cancer research. A few copies of
the book will be available at the opening on October 4th. The
public is encouraged to attend this extraordinary exhibit from 5pm-8pm on
October 4th at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park at the Historic Dole
Mansion.

For more information about the October 4th art show the public is encouraged to
visit www.lakesidelegacy.org.
Artwork can be viewed Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm from October 4th through
October 24th. Guests are welcome to take self-guided tours of the galleries.
Lakeside Legacy Foundation is home to the Historic Dole Mansion, Arts Park, and
'the Listening Room' performance venue. Lakeside is a 501(c)3 charitable
organization located on the shores of Crystal Lake at 401 Country Club Road.