First Friday Art Show: A Journey: Two Views Life with Cancer at Lakeside Legacy in Crystal Lake, IL
Change your routine one Friday a month and attend the First Friday Art Show at Lakeside Legacy Foundation in Crystal Lake, IL. The public is invited to enjoy a fabulous time at the Dole Mansion and Arts Park on Friday, October 4th from 5pm-8pm at 401 Country Club Road in Crystal Lake, IL. The October exhibit is titled A Journey: Two Views Life With Cancer by artists Janette Maley and Arthur Hand.
The monthly art show encourages guests to view art, mingle with the artists, enjoy music, explore the Dole Mansion, all while enjoying light appetizers and a cash bar. First Friday's are free to attend and donations to the foundation are appreciated. The First Friday art shows are also family friendly, but viewers are advised that the content of the October exhibit does depict the journey of a beautiful woman who faced a catastrophic illness, breast cancer, and that portions of the exhibit are of adult content. This special exhibit at First Friday art show, will also feature an artist talk by Arthur Hand. Hand speaks of the making of the artwork, of Janette’s, and his own work. He will also speak of cancer, including Janette’s challenges, fears, joys, and the challenges of being the caregiver. Hand, will speak of the couple’s challenges from diagnosis to Janette’s eventual death. Additionally, the art show will include a way the public can honor and recognize caregivers, survivors, and those who lost their battle with cancer.
When asked to describe the exhibit, Arthur Hand said, “Over a span of eight years, I photographed my wife, Janette Maley, through her battle with breast cancer. In our many years together, she was always camera shy. But, shortly after her diagnosis, in 1998 she asked me to make images of her. Initially, it was to be a recorded memory on film of what her body was before surgery. But, the images continued. They were of her through surgery, chemo, radiation, and her life and challenges until her death in 2006.”
Photographer, Arthur Hand made these images as an attempt to understand the changes that had taken place so quickly in his evolving world. Hand has lost six family members to cancer, and he did not understand the disease that haunted his family. Through his wife’s illness, he hoped to finally confront cancer, to face his fears, and to share in his wife’s fears. His photography was a way to accompany her in this newly imposed journey, and as a way to come to terms with what changes unfolded in their personal experiences and in their relationship as husband and wife.
Janette Maley was a painter. For many years, through her paintings, she created environments occupied by figures going through their own dramas of life or their own mythic journeys. Following her treatment, she made a series of collage images that spoke of her personal journey through this illness. Arthur Hand spoke of this saying, “Some nights she made 2 – 3 collages. The collages conveyed what it felt for her going through this ordeal. They were less about the specific look of a cancer patient. They represented the sensations, emotions of treatment and recovery. Through this series of collage, she portrayed herself experiencing her own drama and struggle for life.”
Through these images, Hand and Maley hoped to show what life was for a woman facing this catastrophic illness. Many women go through this experience in privacy, and their pain and fears are hidden from much of the world around them. Through these images in this exhibit, they hoped to share Janette’s journey and give voice to countless women.
The work has shown at Indiana University, Loyola University, Yavapai College, Augsburg College, Northern Illinois University and Kutztown University. The photographs from this show were awarded the Golden Light Award from the Maine Photographic Workshops. They were shown in New York City as part of the award presentation. The same images were nominated for the Santa Fe Photography Award.
The work consists of 95 photographs and 45 collages. Arthur Hand has also published a book of this work. The book is available through Blurb.com. It is the art show in book form. The link to purchase the book is http://www.blurb.com/b/3706614-a-journey-two-views . Anything beyond costs of the book will go to cancer research. A few copies of the book will be available at the opening on October 4th. The public is encouraged to attend this extraordinary exhibit from 5pm-8pm on October 4th at Lakeside Legacy Arts Park at the Historic Dole Mansion.
For more information about the October 4th art show the public is encouraged to visit www.lakesidelegacy.org. Artwork can be viewed Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm from October 4th through October 24th. Guests are welcome to take self-guided tours of the galleries. Lakeside Legacy Foundation is home to the Historic Dole Mansion, Arts Park, and 'the Listening Room' performance venue. Lakeside is a 501(c)3 charitable organization located on the shores of Crystal Lake at 401 Country Club Road.