HONOURING THE BOOB

RC
Feb 19, 2023
2 min read

Updated: Mar 8, 2023

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain."

- Vivian Greene -

Sunday, February 19, 2023

On January 10, 2023, the night before my lumpectomy, I created boob art. I knew the shape, look and feel of my left boob would be different post-op. Change was imminent. I didn't want to forget what my boob was like pre-cancer. I didn't want to go into surgery not having paid homage to me, my body, or this journey. I wanted to honour my left boob.

Since my diagnosis, I'd often find myself cupping my boob, cuddling it, caressing it, sending it love. I wanted to find a way to capture this time in my life.

David and I took some nude photos. Some in colour. Some in black and white. No special lighting. No crazy setup. Just us capturing a moment in our lives as we often do with our iPhones.

Earlier that day I had gone to the art supply store to buy some paint and a canvas. The idea popped into my head shortly after being told that I would be undergoing surgery. I recalled a project that Farah Fawcett did years ago where she painted her naked body and rolled around on the canvas. OK, I am no Farah LOL, but the idea of painting my left boob and pressing it onto a canvas seemed cathartic. I was inspired. I wanted to create art - something that I could hang on the wall to remind me of my Pink Road journey. Even with all the challenges of breast cancer, I was in control of the narrative:

Life is Beautiful.

And so, after the pics were taken, I wanted to be alone with my materials. The paint, the brushes, the canvas and me. I opened the bottles, tested how quickly the paint would dry and fully immersed myself in what was about to transpire. I got into the zone.

There were tears. Lots of emotion. Generous self-love. And me.

Ahhh this journey with its twists and turns as well as the opportunity to turn downright sh!tty moments into joyous self-expression. A work of art to remind me of who I am... Warrior Woman!