Art brings healing for cancer survivor
Artist Theresa Hurt blends bright reds, greens and yellows with a painting knife to create colorful, abstract art on a white canvas.
For a time in her life, painting was an escape. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2009 and underwent treatment until August of 2010.
“When you’re painting or creating, you don’t think about these other things,” she said. “You get immersed in what you’re doing, and going through cancer or going through some other hardship, that seems to go away for a period of time.”
She started painting three years before her diagnosis, having been inspired to create after seeing a piece of art for sale that she did not think was well done.
“The thought went through my head was like, ‘I can do that.’ Then hearing the voice that said, ‘then do it,’” she said.
Hurt received chemotherapy treatments on Thursdays, apart from the last treatment, which was on Good Friday. While she was off work on Thursdays for treatment, she attended a class called “The Artist Way” to improve her skills.
“Going up there every Thursday for that period of time I think really helped me grow,” she said.
Support from women in the class, her church, her husband and clients at her family’s business, Pirates Alley Picture Frames, were encouraging during her cancer treatment.
“The support is so important,” she said. “The person going through chemo sometimes doesn’t know, can’t express what they’re feeling.”
Following chemotherapy, Hurt had a double mastectomy and received 34 rounds of radiation.
Art also holds a spiritual connection for Hurt.
“I believe in God and God as creator and anytime that you are creating, you’re working with God to present beauty,” she said.
“I’m responsible for the colors that are going down. But I really feel like that result, I’m working with God.”
On display
Hurt’s art will be featured in the Integris Cancer Institute’s Celebration of Life art show with an opening reception at 5:30 p.m. July 27. The show will remain through Sept. 8 at the institute, 5911 W Memorial Road.
This is the 23rd annual exhibit and it is expected to be the largest with more than 200 pieces of art. All artists are cancer survivors.
The artists will provide short descriptions of their experiences surviving cancer next to their pieces.
“It’s just really cool to go out there and see the talent and then read the stories of how cancer has affected them. That’s always hard for me to put that into words though,” Hurt said.
This will be the seventh year Hurt has participated in the show.
Hurt’s art is on display and for sale at the In Your Eye Studio and Gallery, 3005 Paseo #A in the Paseo Arts District, and at Pirates Alley, 2733 W Britton Road.