Art Cart
Like humor and music, the creation of art can be a life-affirming, healing
experience. Cancer Survivor and artist Karen Sudduth has seen first-hand how
the process of making art helps patients cope with disease, pain, and stress.
Karen developed the Art Cart program as a way of sharing the joy of art with
people touched by cancer. At the Southaven Wings location, Karen and other
Wings volunteers welcome patients with all levels of experience to join them in
creating art work: beaded bracelets, bookmarks, and key chains are some
favorite patient Art Cart activities. The activities are completed while
the patients are sitting in treatment. During that time, patients are
given individual attention and a supportive environment in which to create
their own expressions of heart, their own art work.
Born out of the Art Cart experience, Wings has launched a new monthly
support group, HeARTwork, which gives survivors an opportunity to focus
together on colors, shapes, and healing in the midst of the physical and emotional
pain of cancer.
HeArt Work
When I was in
treatment for breast cancer, I used art work as a means of expressing “heart
things.” After a friend made the comment that “art work is really heart
work,” I understood why even my primitive artistic statements could mean so
much. Art work was my heart work.
On Friday, April
1,2011, Wings inaugurated its HeARTwork program at the Southaven Wings
location. Following introductions, each survivor wrote the names of support
people in their lives~ friends, family members, doctors, nurses, and many
others. That opened the floodgate of conversation, and from 2-3:30 on that
Friday, the Wings resource room was alive with laughter. We moved from
sharing our stories to beading our beautiful bracelets, a project called,
“Beading With Meaning.” When our “HeART work” session was complete,
each survivor had new friends, renewed joy, and renewed gratitude. That’s
the value of heart work! But the survivors also took home beautiful new
bracelets, each held together by a silver, heart-shaped toggle. That is
the gift of ‘heART work!’
Wings HeART work, no special art skills necessary, we want to celebrate your journey with you with ART!
Think of art work as “heart work,” and join us in a once-a- month guided,
creative opportunity to create a small piece of art celebrating survivorship.
Pre-register by calling 662-996-1083 Karen Sudduth, Programs
Coordinator
No art skills necessary