Paul Van Rooyen & Karen Fischer
The Story
Paul Van Rooyen
Warren Tech Center
Brother of two sisters who died from Cancer
Twist on Cancer: The experience was awesome. Being able to provide the back ground to my two beautiful sisters who passed from cancer was very rewarding. Both of them had a tough go with the cancer and just before they died, they had a look of peace on their face. My older sister looked at everyone in the room and then with a smile, passed away. My other sister who is two years older than me looked at everyone in the room and said "I do not want to go". She then closed her eyes, after 5 minutes or so looked at everyone and with a big smile on her face she said, "I see Jesus''. They both passed away seeing Jesus and knowing Jesus was their personal Savior.
Brother of two sisters who died from Cancer
Twist on Cancer: The experience was awesome. Being able to provide the back ground to my two beautiful sisters who passed from cancer was very rewarding. Both of them had a tough go with the cancer and just before they died, they had a look of peace on their face. My older sister looked at everyone in the room and then with a smile, passed away. My other sister who is two years older than me looked at everyone in the room and said "I do not want to go". She then closed her eyes, after 5 minutes or so looked at everyone and with a big smile on her face she said, "I see Jesus''. They both passed away seeing Jesus and knowing Jesus was their personal Savior.
Karen Fischer
"Levensrok”
Gouache and Found Object
49 1/2 Inches x 35 1/2 inches x 3 inches. This is with frame
$1000
Artist Statement: Inspiration: a brother’s two sisters, both of which were taken by cancer. I learned of a Dutch family ancestry. I built on a history from WWII Dutch women who created patchwork skirts out of pieces of cloth associated with a memory of someone taken away from them. The skirts were a means of healing, transformation, renewal and brought comfort to families.
In my piece of artwork are two skirts, one skirt for each sister. I placed symbols of the sister’s lives within these two skirts. Weaving a pattern of their life’s in the skirts.
Some of the symbols:
Orange – for the Dutch heritage of the sisters, creates the borders of the skirts.
Blue – water around the Netherlands, Ontario and Michigan, regions the family immigrated.
A Windmill- symbol of continuum and transformation and a family memory.
A Stain Glass Window - with light shining upward a sign of a sister’s spiritual transformation and continuum.
In front of it all, a piece of Aluminum from a car wheel melted by the worst forest fire in California’s history. This represents the cancer spreading sadness over their life story. Fire, a representation of devastation and cancer yet also renewal and life, is another element of this piece.
The artwork’s title “Levenstrok” means “skirt of life” in Dutch.
The artwork share’s a brother’s testimony of his sister’s life to others, a life story that continues, a journey that heals and transforms others. In our sorrow we are all connected.
Gouache and Found Object
49 1/2 Inches x 35 1/2 inches x 3 inches. This is with frame
$1000
Artist Statement: Inspiration: a brother’s two sisters, both of which were taken by cancer. I learned of a Dutch family ancestry. I built on a history from WWII Dutch women who created patchwork skirts out of pieces of cloth associated with a memory of someone taken away from them. The skirts were a means of healing, transformation, renewal and brought comfort to families.
In my piece of artwork are two skirts, one skirt for each sister. I placed symbols of the sister’s lives within these two skirts. Weaving a pattern of their life’s in the skirts.
Some of the symbols:
Orange – for the Dutch heritage of the sisters, creates the borders of the skirts.
Blue – water around the Netherlands, Ontario and Michigan, regions the family immigrated.
A Windmill- symbol of continuum and transformation and a family memory.
A Stain Glass Window - with light shining upward a sign of a sister’s spiritual transformation and continuum.
In front of it all, a piece of Aluminum from a car wheel melted by the worst forest fire in California’s history. This represents the cancer spreading sadness over their life story. Fire, a representation of devastation and cancer yet also renewal and life, is another element of this piece.
The artwork’s title “Levenstrok” means “skirt of life” in Dutch.
The artwork share’s a brother’s testimony of his sister’s life to others, a life story that continues, a journey that heals and transforms others. In our sorrow we are all connected.
Behind the Scenes
My Studio
Subtitle Here
Mine is a stark room with good natural light. I fill the open wall space with references and inspiration for the work. I scatter a plethora of paint tubes and brushes to select from. Then I create the visual. Stepping, forward for a close look, stepping back for more perspective. Walking in circles, pacing at different speeds to contemplate. It becomes a dance. I feel drawn to retreat and go internal, away from the external world. It is a place for transformation.
