May 5, 2004
From Women's Hands Art Show benefits cancer fund
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
More than 200 hands combined their efforts this weekend to help women with cancer.
The second annual From Women's Hands Art Show was held at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center, offering the works 102 area female artists. The show earmarked 20 percent of the sales to the Women's Cancer Fund, which helps women with non-medical related expenses while they undergo treatment.
This year's raffle and a silent auction had more than 100 original artworks up for grabs. Each artist donated at least one item, some giving six or seven, and all of the proceeds from these events went to the Women's Cancer Fund.
Last year more than $7,000 was raised by the From Women's Hands art show for this fund. This year, organizers say they are on target to exceed that.
"Roslyn and I are incredibly grateful to the community for their tremendous support," said Jennifer Hutchinson, co-chair of From Women's Hands along with artist Roslyn Tyge of Traverse City "We had more than a thousand people here on Friday for the opening."
"We are just overwhelmed by the support of hundreds of beautiful people," she added.
The three-day, juried show featured clothing, jewelry and textiles as well as sculpture, paintings and pottery, transforming the Heritage Center into a flame of creativity. Other items included purses, scarves, tile work, mixed media items and an array of decorative teapots.
" I'm very inspired to see all these artists' work and the community is so supportive," said Maria Perez-Bastian, a bead artist from Traverse City.
A mother-daughter team of artists, Krystal and Whitney Miller, have a special interest in both art and helping women with cancer. Krystal has battled cancer for years and her daughter, just 17, has seen firsthand how the Women's Cancer Fund helps families like hers.
"The fund helps with the holes that come up, when there's an interruption in income they help with bills," said Whitney, a junior at West High School who is a bead artist. "The thing about cancer survivors is they are so strong, they never complain."
Krystal Miller was one of a group of cancer survivors who came up with the idea of using art to help heal women with cancer. About five years ago, she and Kathy Rowe, a fabric artist, were struggling to make ends meet because treatments precluded their going to art shows and earning income. They both also believed that creating art could provide healing, helping with emotional expression and giving a sense of purpose to lives turned upside down.
"We had artwork but didn't sign up for shows because we didn't know if we'd be well enough to attend," recalled Miller. "We kind of put the ideas together, that survivors could make art, do an art show and support the fund, it was a win-win-win sort of thing."
They decided to hold a show at Munson Medical Center so they and other women in the same situation could generate some income.
At that first show in 1999, called the Healing Arts Show, the four participating artists donated ten percent of proceeds to the Women's Cancer Fund.
"A cancer diagnosis can be financially devastating, especially for women," noted Miller. "It's just wonderful the way the community has supported this through the years, they've just poured their hearts out."