
3-D Print Flaws
Even with flaws, groovy stuff can emerge when we are all together.

A Flower Tells A Story
Self-taught, started creating after raising family. Supportive family base allows my artistic abilities to thrive. This painting, A Flower Tells A Story, inspired from caring for my mother in her cancer journey, is meant to acknowledge all cancer types and to bring a bit of brightness to the fighters. I create what feels like my safe space to help me gain perspective which in turn helps me find positive qualities in the subject.

A Soft Place to Fall
I was diagnosed with cancer at age 43. It was a rare aggressive cancer. I knew I had to fight. I had a 10-year-old daughter. I wasn’t done being a mom, a wife, a sister, a daughter and a friend. Cancer is a dark, mean illness that doesn’t discriminate. It takes away your dignity, your body, mind and spirit. It’s ugly and messy. It turns your life upside down. My lavender has always been something I’ve used to bring me comfort and calmness. It’s resilient. The fields grow every which way in its own sort of chaos, wild and free. It’s a safe place to fall. During treatment I saw how I was affected, mainly mentally and emotionally.

Aging
Aging is a beautiful mess. From the minute we take our first breath until we exhale our last, every age is filled with milestones and expectations.
Every word on this canvas takes on a different meaning based on your current age. Fun, free, knee pain, friendships, health, and memory all have different meanings when you are 16, 30 or 60 years old.
It is the circle of life where flaws occur in the beautiful mess we call aging.

Beatrice, the Emu Wild hair, wild heart, warrior soul
At first glance, the emu – a flightless bird – might seem like nature’s mistake. But think again. These birds are fierce, clever, and resilient. Ever heard of the Great Emu War of 1932? Look it up – emus faced off against armed soldiers ... and won.
Flightless? Yes. But they’ve adapted with powerful legs for running, leaping, and even swimming. The emu reminds me that what looks like a flaw can be a hidden superpower. Every
imperfection carries a story of strength.

Beautiful Flawed Blooms
The arrangement is in honor of the Simon Cancer Center gift shop, "The Gift Box," paper flowers program, now in its third year. What a great joy it has been to make and share the paper arrangements! Each flower is hand cut, making them not completely symmetrical, definitely a little flawed, and certainly imperfectly beautiful. I could machine-make each one exactly the same, but I believe they would lose their personality. Each little flaw speaks to the flower's character. Much like me, I
believe my flaws add to my character. For I am not perfect, but beautifully and wonderfully made, flaws and all.

Blowing Bubbles
As soon as I saw the theme for this year's show, I knew I wanted to explore alcohol ink painting. The process is basically taking a flaw (a drop of ink) on a paper or canvas and turning it into something beautiful and unique by blowing the inks with a straw or heating tool. The outcome of putting a drop of alcohol onto a drop of ink will never yield the same results. The saturation of the paper, the size of the drops, and the very breath that the artist uses to blow and move the ink are always going to determine the outcome of the work. The artist must acknowledge the lack of control of these factors.

Blue & Cool
I want the audience to know that you are loved. GOD made you, limited edition, irreplaceable YOU. You bring so much to the world, so be kind to yourself and others. Even when you doubt yourself, keep striving. Let LOVE prevail, love for others and yourself. Choose the unstained pasture of peace.

Blue is Blooming
Cynthia Dance is an abstract artist whose work captures the movement of nature through fluid color, while embracing intuition and spontaneity.
Like so many, she’s had a front row seat to cancer and the
delicate balance of caregiving. As strength fades like a wilting flower, for both patient and caregiver, faith and resilience are ever-present and waiting to bloom. Every moment and every
brushstroke is part of a larger picture of grace – honoring the beautiful mess that is part of every cancer story.

Body of Stars
I was born with a rare genetic disorder called Bannayan-Riley- Ruvalcaba syndrome. This means that my tumor suppressor gene is mutated, and I have a higher risk of developing cancer. One of the cancers I was at highest risk for was breast cancer. Two years ago, I had a preventative double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. The aim of this artwork is to look back on what my body was and see the beauty in the imperfections that were potentially dangerous. When I saw my MRI scans before my surgery, they reminded me of constellations. I had so many unknown growths in my breast tissue that I had a great chance of becoming cancerous.

British Invasion
I want people to experience this art freely and without constraint. Art and love are the human experience.

Colors of Cancer
I started it wanting it to be one color for Ovarian cancer. Once I started it I realized that it's OK if it doesn't match per the theme.

Complete Chaos
There's a roadmap, but what will we find along the way? Your footprints ... you may have tried to plan them out. But if you stumble, just keep going.

The Beautiful Mess of Rising Waters Over Icebergs: Resilience Into Legacy
The iceberg represents the weight of pain, trauma and cancer, yet my strengths raise the waters above it. I am lifted by love and support from my son, my nieces, and many others, by Pachamama and by my amazing care team – especially Dr. Suvannasankha, Gerry. My purpose fuels my work and resilience. Cancer has taught me to be more grateful, make time count, let healing flow, and trust that the good in me will live on – that is where I am heading in a supportive sailboat. I find meaning in this beautiful mess of pain, suffering, resilience and flow.

Emotions
Emotions are a beautiful mess. Tear drops from a happy laugh, joy, and relief fall from the same place as the tears of fear, grief, and loss.
Art Therapists are there through it all to hold emotions,
celebrate triumphs, and heal the wounded spirit. Every session is like the eruption of a tear drop hitting space for the first time; flowing, splashing, and evaporating as you exhale.

Encouragement
It portrays the very complex and difficult challenges of life, as well as where my hope remains.
Life's overflowing bucket with the many colors of suffering and loss that intertwine around my heart.
Remembering joyful moments, such as the rainbow, bring calm and peace, while building more joy and capacity.
The LORD's suffering, compassion, understanding and encouragement toward me help me to grow in compassion and understanding for others' life experiences.
This allows me to comfort, support, and encourage others.
Encouraging others through art, cards, postcards, text messages or emails brings me a lot of joy and takes me outside of my pain.

Eye Clutter
I put my left eye out when I was six years old. I don’t know what the world would look like if I had two eyes. This piece is what I feel at times when viewing the world with my one eye. I can only see so much when I turn my head to see peripheral things. My Parkinson’s only contributes to the clutter of what I see.

Finding Serenity During Chaos!!!
I would like the audience to realize that even if there’s chaos, the patient always comes first and even if it seems like chaos, everything does get done.

Giving My Heart to You
To acknowledge the give-and-take of life, giving efforts in situations that, no matter what, we have the will and the drive to survive.

Glob
Discarded globs of paint were scraped from palettes and additional paint left on bottles were used to make this artwork. It IS possible to make something out of nothing. Literally one man's trash is another's treasure. If mankind would reuse more of what he throws away, the earth would be a lot cleaner and less cluttered with things that harm nature.

God is Watching Over Me
This piece was made up of old jewelry and left over beads, pieces of a broken wall hanging, as well as some new charms and pendants. This was done intentionally to portray how things that were old and broken could be combined with new to make something beautiful. Nothing is wasted in life; it is all part of the journey and beautiful.

Green Space
As I had never worked with alcohol inks before, I decided I would practice my technique on paper before using my canvas. Having thrown out my first attempt for being nothing but a great ugly blob and melting my second one with a hairdryer that was too hot, I managed to produce this piece. I learned that to capture the flow of the ink, it was best to let it sit a moment and then see where it wanted to move. A life lesson for certain as we must all sometimes relinquish control and learn to work with what we are given.

Happy Chaos
In the swirling chaos that surrounds our lives, the individual moments seem overwhelming and confusing. When you step back all the parts create a unique experience that is a wonderful, colorful picture of all the moments together.b

Heads-Up Sunrise
If you look closely, there are many abstract images in this painting.

Healing Flowers
Abstract flowers to bring peace and comfort to those who view it.

The Healing Quilt
The healing quilt is a visible journey of the challenges folks often face with serious surgeries and illnesses and no promise of success. How hard it must be to fight, maintain hope and courage, and hold your head high during the unknown.
Symbolized here with red for anger and pain, blue for tears, purple for hope, green for growth. The gold thread for God's comfort, presence, and promise to never fail us. Hearts for those who support us and the lines of a journey not always straight, but hopefully forward. Finally, it's a quilt providing warmth and comfort for all who climb under her.

Hidden
The exterior can be a thing of beauty but those on the outside rarely know the complications one might be tested with on the inside. Health tests the essence of our vulnerability. There will always be light hidden in the dark, and conversely, dark in the light in our journeys with disease. Some of my most cherished growth and friendships have evolved in my battles with cancers. I am grateful that just enough light lit my path on this journey allowing me growth and happiness amidst any tears.

Hidoi Shigoto Kintsugi
In Japan, broken objects are often repaired with gold. The flaw is seen as a unique piece of the object’s history which adds to its beauty. Please consider this when you feel broken.

Hope Beyond
I took this photo at a state park. The tree was arched over and damaged whether by a storm or the age of the tree. In that moment, I saw wonderful and deep beauty in what others would possibly avoid. Then, looking beyond the splintering damage that will result in loss and removal, we see hope for a future and fellowship at the picnic tables. We see other trees to enjoy. Life's storms or wounds can be many – physical, relational, spiritual, financial, or unmet needs, and the list goes on. Yet, so often we need to look beyond the suffering, the hurt, the loss, and the lack to see what can bring joyful moments in our everyday lives.
Inner Beauty
In my work, I turn my attention to the overlooked and sometimes unwanted. The weeds that push through the cracks grow wild in the fields and persist in many places they are not invited. By shifting perspective and looking closely, I see the quiet strength and surprising beauty hidden within these resilient plants. From unexpected angles, their forms, textures, and patterns become something more than a nuisance. They become beautiful symbols of persistence, adaptability and unrecognized grace. Through this exploration, I invite others to reconsider what is dismissed as ordinary and undesirable, and to find wonder in the resilience of life.

Jesus I Trust in You
I want others to know the peace that comes from knowing that no matter what happens, God is their loving Father who will take care of all their needs. I chose the picture I took at sunset on Galveston Island Beach, Texas, to show God's beauty and so others can feel the calm of the ocean. I wrote the poem during Adoration before our Lord, Jesus and felt him speaking through me. My wish is that this brings hope to at least one patient or caregiver.

Joy
The joy of an infant grasping the pinkie. How can you not forget the darkness momentarily, when your finger is wrapped with the tiny hand of a baby?

Junk Drawer: Find the Love
Everybody has a junk drawer. And your life has junk as well. Look closer in the drawer as well as in your life. Find the love within the chaos.

Just Because Words Elude Me, Parkinson’s Is an Ocean That Cannot Swallow Me
I wanted to capture my experience as a Parkinson’s patient with all its ups and downs, with its twists and turns, yet also show the beauty in my life.

Life Can Still Be Beautiful
Life Can Still Be Beautiful is my way of finding light in the darkest of times, choosing resilience, and still searching for beauty and happiness even when the future seems uncertain. I’d like to think this painting can show how we can still find grace in the midst of suffering and how, despite fear, there is still hope.
I hope this serves as a reminder that even in the face of life's darkest moments, there is light to be found. And sometimes, it is through the darkness that we learn to truly appreciate the beauty of life.

The Life of a Sickler
To acknowledge the give-and-take of life, giving efforts in situations that, no matter what, we have the will and the drive to survive.

Living with Cancer
I now use the words “Living with cancer.” One year and six months ago I was dying of cancer. My life fell into a thousand pieces. Things would never be the same. As I pick up the pieces, I realize different doesn’t mean worse, just different. I am grateful I still get the opportunity to make “a beautiful mess.”
It is how life is now in the kitchen after gardening and harvesting including my cane, sitting stool, wagon, boots, gloves, coffee, extra protein, sourdough, water and prescription bottles.

Love: An Ode to My Son's Father
Because I'm a social person, I love being in a group and community with other people. As a hairstylist recovering, I am missing my creative outlet. This is my newest creative outlet and expression.

Love, Peace, and Happiness
I want people to feel joy and happiness when they look at this piece. It is an expression of joy and faith in God.
Loving Lives
I don't consider myself an artist. As a nurse, I've learned that sometimes you cannot "fix" the patient, and in those moments I feel like I've failed. What keeps me grounded is knowing how much I love nursing – because it allows me to touch people's lives in meaningful ways. These caps remind me of the many patients that I have cared for while doing the work I love. Putting this piece together is a reminder that every heart is unique, and while I am not perfect, I always give my best to help each patient in their journey of healing.

Man in the Sun
The man in the sun gets angry with mankind because man does not respect the universe.

Mike's Journey
I want people to experience this art freely and without constraint. Art and love are the human experience.

Mind-Hand Coordination
To some, the weaving in my basket may look to be a mess. To me, it is beautiful. I’m incredibly proud of it! Because of COVID- induced keratoconus, I have low vision, diplopia (seeing double) out of both eyes, and photosensitivity. Making baskets in Manual Skills was a favorite part of the Bosma Vocational Rehabilitation program. Crafting while not being able to focus or see clearly required what the instructor calls 'hand-mind coordination.” This part of learning how to navigate the world with vision impairment was important to my self-acceptance.

No Mud, No Lotus
No Mud, No Lotus come from the title of a book by the Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh on the art of transforming suffering. Without the mud and muck of a pond, there wouldn't be a beautiful flower like the lotus. When we can learn to acknowledge and transform our suffering, we can begin to be present; we can be available to life and happiness. After my unilateral mastectomy with flat reconstruction had healed, I removed the pads from the sides of my seamless bras that I no longer needed so I could continue to wear them when I don’t feel like wearing my prosthetic.

Orchid
This piece was another practice work I made while learning the technique of alcohol ink painting. It reminded me of the soft colors and textures of orchids, although that was not my intention when I began this work. That is what I really enjoy about using the inks and alcohol and why I felt this style of painting was such a perfect match for this year's theme. I am often too much of a perfectionist to enjoy what I create, but this medium and theme helped me find the balance between perfection and satisfaction.

Reconstruction
As a therapist, I helped others deal with their feelings and emotions. Now as an artist, I express mine through abstract art. As a survivor of childhood physical and sexual abuse, expressing sorrow and angst through paint brings me joy. I cared for my mother through four cancers. She felt like her body was being whittled away and put back together. I told her that her body must be made of gold to survive all of this.

Rosebuds in a Busy World
Please see the rosebuds present in your busy world. They are small and hard to notice, but once you do you will not forget the beauty they provide. Try to see the little rose buds in your daily lives. They are there and waiting to be appreciated.

See Something Beautiful Even in the Midst of a Tragedy
Light. See something beautiful in the midst of tragedy and your journey. That's when you see the light. When you're going through the grit.

Shades of Tears
From the tears shed by a chronic illness full of sadness, fright, and depression blooms a beautiful blue flower of hope, fight, and determination.

Silent Witness
Silent Witness captures the quiet endurance of caregiving through a series of Polaroids of my laptop left in waiting rooms. Each image reflects unseen labor: the hours, the patience, the work of supporting someone you love. In the sterile light of hospitals and clinics, I searched for meaning in stillness, turning loneliness into testament. What begins as absence becomes presence: a record of devotion, of the quiet strength found in waiting, and of how illness reverberates far beyond the patient.

“SPECULATESQUE”
This psychological phenomenon where people perceive their own weaknesses and flaws more negatively than others do began to enter cultural mainstream during the mid-1960s. As the '70s rolled in, Madison Avenue advertising relied on inspiration from popular music lyrics. By the beginning of the 21st century, there was growing national social consciousness of “Your Flaws Are Probably More Attractive Than You Think They Are.”
We live in an age where anyone can see an over-abundance of imagery. Aliens visiting from countless light years away can look at the beauty of 8 billion + souls … with all our flaws.

Stone Sky
I want people to experience this art freely and without constraint. Art and love are the human experience.

Struggling with Truth
The world is filled with imperfections. My style of photography brings attention to subject matters that others often overlook.
Though a field of beautiful daisies may appear perfect, the truth is perfection is not attainable.
In 2019 a distracted driver ran a stop sign which caused the accident that left me with a Traumatic Brain Injury. Although I still struggle with perfectionism, with the support of friends, loved ones, and my many “cheerleaders,” I’m able to accept the truth that beauty does not mean perfection more and more every day.
(Both the quote and photo are my own.)

Sweet Memories Hen Tota
This piece doesn't as much reflect the negative, other than the old, weathered bell on the bottom. It is all about special memories collected over time. The decorative flower charms are from a broken bracelet.

Synergy
We who live with brain injuries find strength in synergy, facing challenges that others can't see or understand. Yet when we come together, something powerful happens; we share understanding, hope, and resilience. In our circle of support, our stories matter, every small victory is celebrated, and none of us feels alone. Together we remind one another that healing isn't just about recovery, it's about rebuilding identity, finding connection, and creating a community where resilience thrives.
Frame made by Tim Stant, using local hardwoods (American cherry, Indiana hickory). Artists are Marilyn Hart, Ron Hart, Linda McKee, Tim Stant, Ronayé

The Faces of the Pandemic
During the pandemic, the only part seen on a person's face was from the mask up. The real person was not entirely visible.

Tired Feet #2
As we delve into the complexities of light and shadow, both in the physical realm and within ourselves, Tired Feet serves as a reflection of the intimate spaces we inhabit, where the mundane and the profound coexist. I want you to recognize that every moment, no matter how ordinary, carries the potential for deeper meaning and introspection. The act of washing one’s feet, as depicted, symbolizes cleansing and renewal, suggesting that even our most routine actions can be a form of self-care and reflection.

Unfocused
Art therapists are there through it all to hold emotions, celebrate triumphs, and heal the wounded spirit.

Untangling a Beautiful Mess Within
This piece is made of my feelings – hope, loss, love, fear, grief, joy, sadness, bliss, confusion, and more. Dark and bright colors, thin and thick lines, shiny bits and tangled webs connecting it all – the beautiful mess within me: courageously looking inside when you have cancer and are still human – when you want to be strong but have no strength left, when gratitude for life and loved ones collides with depression’s black hole. This piece holds the fight to keep going, the weight of wanting to give up, and the messy space in between that whispers pa’lante – tomorrow will come.

Untitled
It's more of a science experiment than art. You never know what you're going to get. It's a beautiful mess. I think everybody should try making an alcohol ink tile at least once.

We are all different but we are HAPPY!
Many of us can feel dissatisfied with some of our characteristics. In this example it’s our looks. We should acknowledge we're all different and unique. However, as long as we're happy, nothing else should matter.

Wildflower: Strength and Resilience
When I started making this painting and thought of “Flaws A Beautiful Mess,” I immediately thought of rain. People hate the rain. It’s gloomy, dark, and oh! Messy. I love the rian. Actually I love storms. Storms are disastrous. But I see more to it than the disaster. I see the sky with sparkling stars, I see clouds in front of the beautiful glowing moon. And I see the rain that waters flowers. I knew I wanted to make my painting in this theme of storms, which was the “mess” part of the theme. But to add the beauty, I decided to highlight the sky with the moon, stars, and clouds.

You Can Be MORE
There’s a true distortion of understanding one’s flaws. It’s easy to want to disconnect and remove yourself from these perceptions, create distance so you can feel they are separate. However, sometimes they’re so repetitive, so ingrained in you, it’s impossible. I hope one day it will be easier to give them room to breathe, space to be accepted, and understood, rather than be pushed away. Sometimes there’s a greater payoff to be curious with kindness. By creating a new perception, you can be more than your perceived flaws, by accepting them as part of you. Darling, you can be more!




























































