The Journey of Nurture — From Studio to Exhibition

Nurture — Love, Loss, and What Remains

Creating Nurture was not simply the making of a painting. It was a passage through memory, grief, and love — a space where something deeply personal asked to be seen.

My sister’s battle with cancer reshaped my life in ways I could never have imagined. She was diagnosed at thirty-six and, after four years of remarkable courage, she passed at forty. The loss never disappears. Over time, grief changed form. It became something quieter, steadier — a force that now lives inside my work.

At the time of her diagnosis, we were both young mothers, immersed in the everyday rhythms of raising children. Cancer belonged to another world, one we hadn’t known and never expected to enter. Yet within that difficult chapter, I witnessed something extraordinary: her resilience, her humor, her love for life, and her unwavering presence for those around her. That strength left an imprint on me that continues to shape how I see and how I paint.

Nurture was later selected for the juried exhibition Cancer: Never Give Up. That recognition felt less like an award and more like a quiet acknowledgment of the spirit behind the work. Each layer holds what I witnessed in her — courage, tenderness, endurance, and grace under pressure.

To extend that meaning outward, I created a limited edition print series of Nurture on museum-quality fine art paper. A portion of proceeds supports The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center, whose mission is to enhance quality of life for those facing cancer.

Nurture is, at its heart, a tribute. Not only to my sister, but to the quiet resilience carried by so many. It holds sorrow, yes — but also love, and the enduring truth that even in life’s most difficult moments, something steadfast remains.

This juried painting, featured in the show "Cancer: Never Give Up," is now available as a limited edition matted or matted and framed print. With every purchase, I’m contributing 25% of the sales to The Virginia Thurston Healing Garden Cancer Support Center, who help improve the quality of life for all those who are affected by cancer.