Jill Van Guilder
Cherry Hill, NJ
@javanguilder
Survivor
Twist on Cancer: Through my journey, I have realized that I am stronger than I ever imagined. Cancer impacted and continues to impact my life daily, but with the help and constant support of my family, friends, and medical team I am working on living every day to its fullest. Although cancer has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through, it has provided me with a new, even more positive outlook on life and a chance to spend more valuable time with my loved ones. I still struggle daily with lymphedema, fatigue, and other side effects of my cancer and treatment, but the whole experience has made me a stronger person. I have learned how to live with everything cancer has changed and try to make every day meaningful.
Sharon Garlepp
Bryn Mawr, PA
“Edelweiss”
31.5 x 41.5 inches framed
Acrylic on canvas
$3400
Artist Statement: Edelweiss, the subject of my piece, is a flower that thrives in harsh alpine conditions. Resilient, rare, and quietly powerful. It became the perfect symbol for the woman who inspired this work: a breast cancer survivor whose grace and grit unfolded over hours of heartfelt FaceTime conversations.
Through our time together, I witnessed not just her story of diagnosis and treatment, but the quiet strength she summoned daily. The humor she held onto, the beauty she still sought, the love she gave freely to her family. Her journey wasn’t linear or easy, but it was deeply human.
This painting is a tribute to her spirit: layered, textured, and luminous. Each brushstroke carries the weight of her vulnerability and the lightness of her laughter. Like the edelweiss, she bloomed in unlikely terrain, reminding me, and all of us that resilience can be both fierce and tender.
Creating this piece was an honor. It deepened my belief in art as a bridge between stories, and in connection as a form of healing.