When jewellery-crafter and artist Tracy found out that she had breast cancer, she felt like she had “fallen in a hole, and couldn’t get out — couldn’t get happy again”… 100% understandable, with such life-changing news.
It was her husband who had the idea for a representation of a ladder, an image that helped Tracy to climb out of that hole of unhappiness while she created a stunning piece of beaded art.
Mostly done improvisationally, this is my first completed bead embroidery piece. Miscellaneous seedy-beads, some Swarovski crystals, and one special (to me – thank you Sander!) faceted hessonite garnet.
As we move toward October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I think of my sister-in-law who just got that diagnosis that every woman dreads to hear… and I think of Jane, my friend lost to breast cancer, of whom I’ve written before… and Tracy’s brave beautiful beading declaration of hope and strength — the glittering ladder reaching up to the stars — is just tremendously moving.
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September 28th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
I really like your phrase “the glittering latter reaching up to the stars.” There’s so much hope and beauty in that thought!
Malcolm
September 28th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
Lovely of the Sun Singer author to say so, Malcolm! But I do think the real hope and beauty lies in the beadwork art, and in the strong woman who created it…
September 28th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
I’m thinking that she is strong enough to be the foundation for that ladder of hope.
Malcolm
September 29th, 2007 at 2:18 am
It’s really interesting how we can get so much inspiration even when life deals us a bad hand.
I really like the symbolic and literal use of the ladder to inspire the artist.
October 11th, 2007 at 7:09 am
All through October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), I do enjoy seeing/hearing all the various media stories (and blog notes, too, like Lin’s pledge to make a donation for a comment) about all the different things that people are doing to raise funds and raise awareness of breast cancer — a different kind of inspiration, but inspiration it is!